As part of the challenges from NATO, Russia is preparing to transfer at least 12 Su-35 fighters and two S-400 Triumph battalions and a Pantsir-S battalion to neighbouring Belarus.

This military equipment will allow full control of the airspace of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Latvia and Ukraine, where large NATO forces are currently deployed, Avia. pro notes.

According to a statement by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, Russian military equipment and weapon systems will arrive in Belarus to participate in large-scale military exercises, which are planned to take place at five training fields and four military airfields.

“The exercises of the troops will be held at the training fields Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky and Osipovichsky, as well as in some areas of the region located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

It is planned to use Baranovichi, Luninets, Lida and Machulishchi airports,” Fomin said.

According to unofficial information published in social networks, various types of military equipment are also being transferred to Belarus, including multiple launcher systems, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, etc.

The Russian moves show a major transfer of forces under the pretext of exercises so that if Moscow ultimately has no choice but to intervene militarily, it will attempt a kind of simultaneous triple attack from Crimea, Dobas and north of Kharkiv, in order to crush the Ukrainian army and occupy all the areas up to Transnistria where large Russian populations live, on the basis of which Moscow believes it can retain the territories without having to pay a high price.

The fact that Moscow considers the possibility of “forced” intervention to be very likely can be seen from the NY Times‘ revelation that there is a gradual evacuation of diplomatic staff from the Russian embassy in Kiev and from three Russian consulates.

On 5 January, 18 people – mostly children and wives of Russian diplomats – boarded buses and began a 15-hour journey by road to Moscow, according to a senior Ukrainian security official.

Some 30 more followed in the following days, from Kiev and a consulate in Lviv, in western Ukraine.

Diplomats at two other Russian consulates were told to prepare to leave Ukraine, the security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss national security issues.