Tag: Belarus

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Putin confirms first batch of nukes moved to Belarus

Russian President said that the rest of the nuclear weapons should be delivered by the end of the summer, reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that Moscow has sent its first batch of nuclear weapons to Belarus, The Hill reported.

Addressing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said that the rest of the nuclear weapons should be delivered by the end of the summer. Russia moves forward with the plan as part of the plan to deploy tactical nuclear bombs in the country bordering Ukraine. “This is a deterrence measure [against] all those who think about Russia and its strategic defeat,” he said in response to a question about the use of nuclear weapons in war.

The Russian leader’s comments follow claims from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko this week that his nation received the first part of the “bombs and missiles from Russia,” as per retorted by The Hill.

Lukashenko told Russian and Belarusian state media, “We have missiles and bombs that we have received from Russia,” adding, “The bombs are three times more powerful than those [dropped on] Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” Fox News reported.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Russia has commenced the delivery of nuclear weapons to Belarus, including some that are apparently three times as powerful as those detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, reported Fox News.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The tactical nuclear warheads are the first Russia has moved since opening its invasion of Ukraine last year. The weapons’ arrival comes one week after Ukrainian forces began a large-scale counteroffensive against Russia. Lukashenko argues the weapons will only serve as a deterrent, as per a Fox News report.

Fox News is an American website based in New York City.

Meanwhile, Finland on April 4 this year became NATO’s newest member upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Russia-Ukraine war takes a dangerous turn

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UK govt imposes new sanctions on Belarus

New Delhi, Oct 29 (ANI): UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly speaks at the United Nations Security Council special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

This includes through limiting the funds that Belarus is able to raise by further restricting Belarusian access to UK financial markets and preventing the import of goods such as gold which may have originated in Russia…reports Asian Lite News

New sanctions legislation allowing the UK government to target exports from Belarus funding the Lukashenko regime and crack down on Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions, have been announced.

The measures also give the government grounds to prevent designated Belarusian media organisations from spreading propaganda in the UK, including over the internet, as the regime continues to actively facilitate Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and spread false narratives.

The Belarusian regime has permitted the use of its territory and airspace by Russia to conduct missile and drone strikes against Ukraine in addition to the provision of significant training and logistical support to Russian forces.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says, “This new package ratchets up the economic pressure on Lukashenko and his regime which actively facilitates the Russian war effort and ignores Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Our support for Ukraine will remain resolute for as long as it takes and the UK will not hesitate to introduce further measures against those who prop up Putin’s war.”

The UK is banning the import of gold, cement, wood and rubber to the UK from Belarus, which are sources of revenue for the Lukashenko regime, building on measures introduced last July to ban the import and export of goods worth around £60 million from Belarus. We are also blocking exports to Belarus from the UK of banknotes and machinery, alongside goods, technologies and materials that could be used to produce chemical and biological weapons.

Our online measures provide the government with the ability to prevent designated Belarusian media companies from spreading propaganda in the UK. That means social media companies and internet service providers will restrict access to the websites of sanctioned Belarusian media organisations, as is already the case for sanctioned Russian organisations.

We have also expanded the designation criteria for Belarus allowing the government to sanction a broader range of people who prop up the regime. This means we have the basis, where appropriate, to target close family members of those already sanctioned.

In addition, our measures in this package crack down on those circumventing sanctions given the close links between the Belarusian and Russian economies, applying measures to Belarus which we have already applied to Russia to close loopholes and address sanctions circumvention.

This includes through limiting the funds that Belarus is able to raise by further restricting Belarusian access to UK financial markets and preventing the import of goods such as gold which may have originated in Russia.

This also reflects the UK’s wider work bearing down on those who prop up Putin’s war in Ukraine, coming down hard on sanctions evaders; closing loopholes; and working with our international partners to undermine attempts to build global resilience to Western sanctions.

This latest package builds upon the significant sanctions against Belarus already in place, including last year banning the import and export of goods worth around £60 million for the regime’s active support of Putin’s war. That covers bans from Belarus to the UK on the export of oil refining goods, advanced technology components, luxury goods and imports to the UK of Belarusian iron and steel.

The UK has also targeted people and companies who have engaged in, supported or promoted the repression of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Belarus. That includes sanctioning more than 100 people and organisations, such as freezing the assets of major Belarusian state-owned enterprises which are significant sources of revenue and foreign currency for the Lukashenko regime.

The UK is resolute in condemning the brutal campaign by the regime against the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Belarusian people – such as routinely subjecting citizens to inhumane and degrading treatment and hindering any form of opposition. With over 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus, the UK calls for their immediate and unconditional release.

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UNSC elections: Big blow to Russia as key ally suffers stinging defeat

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Slovenia won the seat for East Europe with 153 votes to Belarus’ 38 votes on Tuesday at the 193-member General Assembly…reports Arul Louis

On a day that the Ukraine war took a turn for the worse, Russia’s ally Belarus suffered a stinging defeat in the elections to the Security Council.

Slovenia won the seat for East Europe with 153 votes to Belarus’ 38 votes on Tuesday at the 193-member General Assembly in what turned into a referendum on Russia as the Minsk government was seen as Moscow’s surrogate.

The election was held by secret ballot allowing countries to vote freely, unlike in Assembly measures involving Russia – the latest in February when 141 countries voted to require Russia to withdraw from Ukraine, and seven against with 32 abstentions and this time, some of those who abstained voted against Belarus.

The other four seats that were assigned to regions were uncontested as the regional groups agreed unanimously on their candidate.

South Korea was elected to the Asia Pacific seat and will replace the United Arab Emirates in January.

Since the Assembly has to vote on all the seats, South Korea received 180 votes, which showed the limited opposition by North Korea and its allies.

Guyana was elected to the Latin America Caribbean seat that Brazil will leave next year.

For the two seats up for election for Africa, Algeria was elected to replace Gabon and Sierra Leone to replace Ghana.

Earlier on Tuesday, a dam in a Ukraine area held by Russia was destroyed imperilling vast areas of Ukraine and moving up the war’s destruction a notch.

“One thing is clear: this is another devastating consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters.

“We are seeing the effects in the city of Kherson, the town of Nova Kakhovka and 80 other towns and villages along the Dnipro River. Massive flooding.A Large-scale evacuations. Environmental devastation. Destruction of newly planted crops. And added threats to the highly threatened Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant — Europe’s largest nuclear facility,” he added.

The Security Council is set to take up the dam’s destruction at an emergency meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Iran, Belarus may become SCO full-time members

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Iran, Belarus may become SCO full-time members

Earlier, India had also invited the two countries to participate in the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting which took place on April 27-28 in Delhi….reports Asian Lite News

The observer countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Iran and Belarus could soon become full-time members of the charter as the decision is under consideration as of now, an official said on Thursday.

Earlier, India had also invited the two countries to participate in the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting which took place on April 27-28 in Delhi. Minister of Defense of Belarus, Major General Viktor Khrenin and Iranian Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani participated in the meeting in the national capital that was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The SCO is being hosted by India this year, and Goa is prepared to welcome all of the SCO member states’ foreign ministers to the location where decisions regarding new SCO members will be made.

“The most important work before the SCO Foreign Ministers will be to assess the status of decisions that will be approved at the SCO Summit in New Delhi in July. The meeting will also give an opportunity to discuss the state of multilateral cooperation in SCO, regional and global issues of interest, reform and modernization of the Organization and the progress of admitting Iran and Belarus to the SCO as new Member States,” MEA Secretary Dammu Ravi said in Goa.

He further added that India’s efforts to further deepening of the bonds of friendship and cooperation in SCO were evident through various socio-cultural events that were hosted.

Currently, SCO has Russia, India, China, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its members. If consideration is accepted by the SCO member on Iran and Belarus to take as new members of SCO, it will have 10 members in the SCO by next year.

The SCO has mainly focused its fight against regional security issues, regional terrorism, ethnic separatism and religious extremism. To date, the SCO’s priorities have also included regional development.

“The meeting will also give an opportunity to discuss the state of multilateral cooperation in SCO, regional and global issues of interest, reform and modernisation of the Organisation,” the MEA Secretary said while speaking about the SCO charter in Goa.

Several socio-cultural events organized by India were organized for the first time in the framework of the SCO. To date, India has successfully hosted meetings of SCO ministers of finance, environment, sports, transport, defence, culture, energy, tourism, and ministers responsible for dealing with emergency situations.

“Terrorism is an important element in this summit… Security and terrorism is an emotional issue and it is a normal process in the discussion but it is not the specific agenda. There are many other agendas in the summit,” SCO council sources told ANI.

The theme of India’s Chairmanship of SCO in 2023 is ‘Secure-SCO’. India attaches special importance to SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2001.

The last meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. India took over the rotating presidency of the SCO at the Samarkand SCO Summit in 2022. (By Ashoke Raj/ANI)

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Stage set for crucial SCO meet

The ministers will discuss matters related to regional peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts within SCO and effective multilateralism…reports Asian Lite News

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers Meeting on April 28 in New Delhi.

Defence Ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting. India has invited Belarus and Iran, currently observers in SCO, to participate in the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
The Defence Minister of Pakistan would be participating virtually.

The ministers will discuss matters related to regional peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts within SCO and effective multilateralism.

Raksha Mantri will be holding bilateral meetings with the participating Defence ministers on April 27 and 28 where bilateral defence-related issues and other matters of mutual interest will be discussed.

India has ancient civilisational, cultural and spiritual ties with the SCO member countries. India’s membership of SCO in 2017, was, therefore, a reaffirmation of New Delhi’s keenness to deepen these historic ties.

India considers SCO as an important regional group to promote multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region.

India continues to bring more ideas and initiatives to strengthen cooperation amongst SCO countries. Under its chairmanship, this year, India organised two defence-related activities to enhance interoperability amongst SCO member-states.

The first was a workshop on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and the second was a seminar on SCO countries’ defence think-tanks on the issue of Armed Forces contributing to Military Medicine, Healthcare and Pandemics.

India stands committed to taking forward the Agenda of SCO under its chairmanship.

General Li Shangfu. (Photo:Twittre)

Chinese Defence Minister lands in India

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting scheduled to be held on Friday in the National Capital.

Li Shangfu will also take part in the bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.
This is the first visit by the Chinese Defence Minister following the border transgression in Galwan.

India and China recently held the 18th round of the India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side.

India, and China during the 18th round of Corps Commander Level Meeting, agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector of the LAC.

The meeting took place after a gap of five months. The last meeting between the two sides at the Corps Commander level was held in December last year.

Meanwhile, the Indian Defence Minister is also likely to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. The Russian Defence Minister last visited India for the first India-Russia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in December 2021.

Iranian counterpart arrives

Iranian Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani arrived in Delhi on Thursday to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held on Friday.

The minister will hold a bilateral meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will likely meet on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

Earlier, Sergei Shoigu visited India in December 2021 for the first India-Russia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

ALSO READ: Iranian Defence Minister in India to attend SCO meet

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Belarus blames NATO for decision to host Russian N-weapons

In the statement, Belarus further stated that deploying Russian nuclear weapons on its territory is not against the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)…reports Asian Lite News

Belarus has blamed “unprecedented pressure” from the United States, Great Britain and their NATO allies for the decision to host Russian tactical weapons in its territory, according to the statement released by Belarus’ Foreign Ministry in response to TASS agency’s question.

According to the statement, Belarus said, “Over the past two and a half years, the Republic of Belarus has been subjected to unprecedented political, economic and informational pressure from the United States, Great Britain and their NATO allies, as well as the member states of the European Union.” “This direct and gross interference in the internal affairs of an independent state, aimed at changing the geopolitical course and changing the internal political system of Belarus, directly contradicts the obligations assumed by individual signatories of the Memorandum on Security Guarantees in connection with the accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT),” the statement read.

In the statement, Belarus further stated that deploying Russian nuclear weapons on its territory is not against the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Military cooperation between Belarus and Russia is carried out in strict accordance with international law,” the ministry told TASS on Tuesday.

“The training of Belarusian pilots capable of flying aircraft with specific ammunition, the modernization of such aircraft, as well as the deployment of nuclear warheads on the territory of Belarus without transferring control over them to Minsk, as well as access to appropriate technologies, do not in any way contravene the provisions of Articles I and II of the NPT,” it added.

NATO has long had the practice of “joint nuclear missions”, the aircraft of the Alliance member countries are certified for flights with nuclear weapons, the flight personnel for such “missions” are being trained, and appropriate exercises are being conducted. More than 150 US tactical nuclear weapons are stored on the territory of European NATO member countries, and more than 250 aircraft have been prepared for their possible use, according to the statement.

The Belarusian side is convinced that the confrontational rhetoric and the unfolding spiral of the arms race should be replaced by a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue aimed at strengthening the architecture of global and regional security, multilateral mechanisms for disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, including in the nuclear sphere.

“We called for this and continue to call on all our partners,” Belarus said in a statement.

This statement came after Russia, at the request of the Belarusian side, announced that it will deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

“Even out of the context of these events, this statement (about the possible supply of depleted uranium shells by the UK to Ukraine – TASS), Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko has long raised the issue of deploying Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus,” Putin said.

Earlier, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, in response to the UK’s plans to supply depleted uranium shells to Ukraine, said that Russia would supply Belarus “ammunition with real uranium.”

“As for our negotiations with Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko… The reason (for the statements of the Belarusian leader – TASS) was the statement by the British Minister of State for Defense [Annabel Goldie] that they were going to supply shells with depleted uranium to Ukraine, which is somehow connected with nuclear technology,” Putin said. (ANI)

ALSO READ-‘Russia plans to deploy tactical N-weapons in Belarus’

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‘Russia plans to deploy tactical N-weapons in Belarus’

Moscow, Feb 21 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Federal Assembly (Russia's two-chamber Parliament), in Moscow on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

Putin accused the ‘West’ of fueling the Ukraine crisis and said that the ‘West’ is gambling on the fates of entire states and peoples, according to the Kremlin’s statement…reports Asian Lite Néws

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. This marks Moscow’s latest attempt to use the threat of a nuclear war to ramp up tensions with the US and NATO over the invasion of Ukraine, Financial Times reported.

Putin said work would be completed on building storage units for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 1, a move he likened to US nuclear deployments in Europe. The Russian leader said Moscow has already transferred an Iskander short-range missile system – which can be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads – to Belarus.

Though Putin said Russia would not transfer control of the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus or violate its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, the decision is one of the Kremlin’s most significant steps with its arsenal since it invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, according to Financial Times.

The Russian President said the deployment was in response to a longstanding request from Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko who has allowed Russia to use the country as a launch pad for attacks on Ukraine, thereby moving his country deeper into the Kremlin’s embrace.

“There is nothing unusual here: first of all, the US has been doing this for decades,” Putin said. “They placed their tactical nuclear weapons in six different allied Nato countries in Europe. [ . . . ] we have agreed to do the same thing, without, I stress, violating our international non-proliferation obligations,” Putin said.

“They have [tactical nuclear weapons] in certain countries, prepare the delivery systems, and train the crews. We’re planning to do the same thing,” he added, as quoted by Financial Times.

Putin accused the ‘West’ of fueling the Ukraine crisis and said that the ‘West’ is gambling on the fates of entire states and peoples, according to the Kremlin’s statement.

Putin, in an article for the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, stated that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is striving for the global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific.

“The crisis in Ukraine, which was provoked and is being diligently fuelled by the West, is the most striking, yet not the only, manifestation of its desire to retain its international dominance and preserve the unipolar world order. It is crystal clear that NATO is striving for a global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific,” Putin said.

“It is obvious that there are forces persistently working to split the common Eurasian space into a network of ‘exclusive clubs’ and military blocs that would serve to contain our countries’ development and harm their interests. This won’t work,” he added.

The government in Belarus, which is situated west of Russia on Ukraine’s long northern border, is among Moscow’s closest allies.

Belarus has had no nuclear weapons on its territory since the early 1990s. Shortly after gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it agreed to transfer all Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction stationed there to Russia.

Belarus helped Russia launch its initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing the Kremlin’s troops to enter the country from the north. There have been fears throughout the conflict that Belarus will again be used as a launching ground for an offensive, or that Minsk’s own troops will join the conflict, CNN reported. (ANI)

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China, Belarus keen on Ukraine peace

China, Belarus express 'extreme interest' in Ukraine peace. (Photo:president.gov.by/en)

The development comes after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited Beijing on Wednesday and met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping…reports Asian Lite News

China and Belarus, the two allies of Russia, have expressed “extreme interest” in a peaceful solution to the ongoing Ukraine war, just a week after Beijing had announced a plan for peace talks, calling for the respect of national sovereignty.

The development comes after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited Beijing on Wednesday and met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the BBC reports.

According to a report by Belarusian state-run news agency Belta, the two nations “expressed deep concern” about the war and “extreme interest in the soonest possible establishment of peace in Ukraine”.

In a statement after their meeting, Lukashenko, who is known to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, also praised Beijing’s 12-point peace plan.

The plan urges respect for “the sovereignty of all countries” but does not specifically say Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and condemns the usage of “unilateral sanctions”.

Lukashenko told Xi that he “fully supports the initiative on international security you have put forward”, according to remarks released by the Belarusian leader’s aides.

Political decisions “should be aimed at first and foremost preventing a slide into a global confrontation that will see no winners”, he further said.

On his part, President Xi called for discarding “all Cold War mentality”, the BBC quoted a Chinese readout of Wednesday’s meeting.

He added that countries “should stop politicising” the world economy and to “do things that will aid a ceasefire, cessation of war, and a peaceful resolution”.

Lukashenko’s visit comes days after China sent its top diplomat Wang Yi to meet Putin.

The meeting also coincided with a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Central Asian nations to discuss the Ukraine war.

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Belarus, Russia begin joint air force drill

Moscow, Nov. 05 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (Xinhua/IANS)

The main goal of the exercise is to “increase operational compatibility” during joint combat training missions…reports Asian Lite News

Belarus and Russia have launched a joint tactical air force exercise that will last until February 1, the Belarusian Defence Ministry has said.

The main goal of the exercise is to “increase operational compatibility” during joint combat training missions, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the ministry.

The participants will practice aerial reconnaissance, joint patrolling along the state borders, air support for ground troops, tactical airborne landings, delivery of goods and evacuation of the wounded.

The ministry added that all airfields and training grounds of Belarus’ Air Force and Air Defense Force are involved in the drill.

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Ukraine ramps up defence of border with Belarus

Russia-Ukraine crisis.(photo:ukraine_defence/Instagram)

Yenin’s remark came shortly after it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had travelled to Minsk to meet his Belarusian counterpart and ally, Alexander Lukashenko….reports Asian Lite News

Amid fears that Russia may be preparing for a fresh attack, Ukraine is boosting the defences of its border with Belarus, a Minister in Kiev has confirmed.

Speaking to the BBC on Monday night, Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin said: “We are building up our defence lines all across the border with Russia and with Belarus.”

He added that Ukraine would be bolstering the Belarusian border with armed forces and ammunition.

Yenin’s remark came shortly after it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had travelled to Minsk to meet his Belarusian counterpart and ally, Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus shares a border with Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

While Belarus has not been involved with the ongoing war directly, it did allow Russian troops to use its territory to launch the invasion on February 24, the BBC reported.

Putin and Lukashenko’s meeting in Minsk was the first time in three-and-a-half years that the Presidents met in Belarus.

Described as a “working visit”, Monday’s meeting lasted for more than two hours.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Putin said Russia did not want to “absorb” anyone, adding that unspecified “enemies” wanted to stop Moscow’s integration with Belarus.

On his part, Lukashenko thanked Putin for providing Belarus with an S-400 air defence system and Iskander ballistic missile system.

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