DISINFO: The West is preparing for military action against Russia and Belarus
SUMMARY
Belarus and Russia continue to face growing security threats in the context of an acute geopolitical confrontation. The nature of the events and the tasks being solved directly indicate that the West is preparing for military action against the Union State.
The number of American and NATO troops at the western borders of the Union State is increasing. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 400 exercises have been held in Europe, with about 500 thousand military personnel participating.
The military infrastructure is being actively improved in the territory of Eastern European countries: airfields, naval bases, training grounds are being modernised, and training centres and bases for deploying the weapons are being created. In Poland and the Baltic States, the modernisation of five airfields, two naval bases and six large training grounds has been completed.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying NATO as an aggressive and hostile alliance planning to attack Belarus and Russia.
This is in line with how pro-Kremlin outlets portray NATO and Western countries as aggressive towards Russia.
Recently, Russian and Belarusian politicians have adopted a particularly aggressive rhetoric against NATO/West, accusing it of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine, which is Moscow's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Kyiv.
These and other similar Russian threats have forced NATO to ensure its security by various methods, including military exercises. Following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member countries revised their Strategic Concept. The North Atlantic Alliance recognised Russia as ‘the most significant and direct threat’ to security in Europe, but emphasised that ‘NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to the Russian Federation.’
Top commanders in some NATO countries have been pondering on military preparations over the past months (see here, here, and here), but these are merely defensive plans that aim at repelling possible Russian aggression. NATO members are working out defence plans in case Russia decides to strike first, about which some Russian officials have been openly speaking.
Western/NATO countries are not planning aggressive military actions against Belarus. Neither Poland nor Lithuania have any territorial claims to Belarus.
The Polish authorities perceive Russia as a main security threat because of its aggressive actions. The increase of NATO’s military presence in Poland and the Baltic states has a defensive character – it is a response to the Kremlin’s decision to start the largest military conflict in the region since WWII.
Since the outbreak of the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the Polish authorities have repeatedly appealed to NATO and the USA to increase their military presence at NATO’s Eastern Flank. The American military presence in Poland protects this country from possible Russian hostilities and improves the national security of this country. The Polish society supports the NATO membership of their country (82%).
NATO is primarily a political organisation that aims at solving conflicts by peaceful means. The Alliance does not want war with Russia. NATO can resort to force under certain circumstances. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.
See other examples of similar messages: NATO is planning to invade Belarus in 2025; Ukraine and Poland are preparing an attack on Belarus; Poland and Lithuania directly sponsor extremist actions against Belarus; Kyiv is preparing to drag Belarus into the ongoing conflict; Poland and Lithuania send Belarusian opposition instructions on how to make explosives and CIA; Pentagon prepares Belarusian protestors in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States; Ukraine and Poland are preparing an attack on Belarus; Kyiv preparing to send sabotage groups to Belarus.