Putin declares intention to establish Russian military base in Belarus

[Larry1]

PUTIN MOVES TO ESTABLISH RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN BELARUS

MINSK, Belarus (AP) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his intentions to establish a Russian military air base in neighboring Belarus.

Belarus has made clear it would not welcome a Russian base but the former Soviet republic remains dependent on Moscow for credit and energy.

Putin on Saturday ordered the Russian Defense Ministry, with the participation of the Russian Foreign Ministry, to hold talks with their Belarusian counterparts and sign the agreement that is reached.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has not commented on Putin's initiative. The two presidents met Friday in the Russian city of Sochi.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BELARUS_RUSSIAN_BASE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-19-10-39-54

Putin declared his intention to put a Russian military base in Belarus.  Belarus doesn't want this to happen. Is it only a matter of time until the Customs Union becomes a de facto Anschluss of Belarus?

"... the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century."
                                                                                         Vladimir Putin

Soviet Union 2.0?

[mendeleyev]

Not a good sign, but a part of the Customs Union deal was that Russia was in charge of military operations over each Union member. I am certain that each member was under the impression that, as the agreement indicates, local troops would be stationed within their own borders with their own commanders, and that the only time Moscow would "take charge" was in the event of a threat to all members of the union.

Apparently, Moscow thinks differently.

The base would give Russia a geographic platform to further intimidate Ukraine and the Baltic states as the article indicates. It also reins in Lukashenko, and it makes Belarus complicit in any mischief that might threaten her neighbors.

[BillyB]

The base would give Russia a geographic platform to further intimidate Ukraine and the Baltic states as the article indicates. It also reins in Lukashenko, and it makes Belarus complicit in any mischief that might threaten her neighbors.

Putin doesn't want NATO to come to Russia's doorstep but in Putin's Russia, Russia's doorstep comes to NATO. Having Russian troops in Belarus puts them next door to Poland and much closer to Kiev and the Baltics.

[ML]

But as spouse tells it, Belarus is specifying that the Russian base will be in an area that is very strongly Belarus Nationalistic.

This is designed to thwart a Crimea like takeover.

Don't know if this is fact yet though.

[jone]

We watched news tonight.  Putin read from a prepared statement on Syria.  Nothing on Belarus.  Interesting take:  Syria is being over run by Terrorists so Russia must come to help.  Showed a live execution on TV, no details spared.  Bullets hitting the body.  The body actually being tossed in the air it was getting so many bullets in it.

Talk about engaging the populace by showing heinous crimes!

[Photo Guy]

I just read the article. It will really be
interesting to see how Lukashenko handles
this edict from Moscow. I can see him agreeing
to a base that is under his control. It seems
to me he doesn't trust Moscow.

[Larry1]

I just read the article. It will really be
interesting to see how Lukashenko handles
this edict from Moscow.

I think Belarus is still obtaining financing from Russia. This would give Putin a good tool to obtain Lukashenko's compliance. Before the previous presidential election, in 2010, it was reported that Lukashenko increased government spending and salaries in order to boost his popularity. He used a carrot and stick approach. The carrot was the increased government spending. The stick was the Belarusian KGB's dealing with key members of his opposition. They are the only country in FSU who still calls their secret police the KGB. His share of the vote in that election was extremely high. There is another presidential election this Fall.

[Photo Guy]

Interesting. What do the people of Belarus
think of the situation/war in Ukraine?
Are they as brainwashed as Russians in
Russia? Is their media completely controlled
by Lukas?

[mendeleyev]

The media is state controlled, and very tightly. However, Lukashenko came out against the annexation of Crimea, and given the proximity to Ukraine, citizens in Belarus are not as brainwashed as in Russia. He has tried to stay neutral in the events of East Ukraine, mainly so that the can curry favour with the West by hosting those peace negotiations in Minsk.

What Putin has done is to force Lukashenko's hand. Luka really has no choice as he is deeply in financial debt to Russia, and he gets sweetheart deals on oil and gas from Moscow.

Forcing Belarus to accept a base will thwart Luka's efforts to approach the West, and will force him back into Russia's shadow--right were Putin can keep him on a very short leash.

[Photo Guy]

My instincts were correct on this:

'...Belarus doesn't want to host a Russian military air base, President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday, a statement that highlighted a strain between the two neighbors and allies...'

http://news.yahoo.com/belarus-president-says-doesnt-want-russian-air-171031880.html