Opinion: West is exploring potential theater of war near Belarus' border

MINSK, 24 February (BelTA) – NATO's activity near Belarus' border suggests that the West is exploring a potential theater of war, Russian journalist and military expert, editor-in-chief of the National Defense Magazine Igor Korotchenko said in a new episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel.

The expert commented on reports suggesting that the West is training Belarusian self-exiled opposition with the aim to seize power in Belarus. “We know that the State Security Committee of Belarus is a team of exceptional professionals, everyone admits this. As I understand, they have pretty good intelligence in a number of European states. The information they provide is not only reliable, but it also helps build a good understanding of the situation and to predict how it might develop. Indeed, there is evidence that some military units are being trained. These units consist of Belarusian citizens who left the country and settled somewhere in the West. They are extremely mean-spirited towards their own country and its political system,” said Igor Korotchenko.

Although they pose a real threat, such groups are an auxiliary component, the military expert emphasized. “If it comes to hostilities, primarily NATO special operations forces will be involved in the first stage. This component is very developed in Poland and Lithuania. Today, a number of special forces units of some Western states, including the United States and Great Britain, are deployed in the Baltic states. It is clear that they are not studying the surrounding nature there, but the potential theater of military operations. They are adapting, establishing communication systems, combat control,” the military expert is convinced.

He added that even before the start of the special military operation, suspicious persons would come to Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast under the guise of tourists or shoppers. They used cover documents, but their affiliation with the Polish military intelligence and the Polish special operations forces was established. “The same applies to Lithuania. Our potential adversary does not waste time and is getting ready,” Igor Korotchenko concluded.