Russia using Belarusian forces in the North to stop Ukraine from battling in Donbass: UK

Despite no departure from usual activities in Belarus, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) reports in their most recent intelligence bulletin that Russia is likely to exaggerate seasonal exercises from Belarus. The UK Ministry of Defence on May 5 claimed that Russia is using Belarusian forces in the North to stop Ukraine from battling in Donbass.

According to a recent tweet from UK MoD, Belarusian land forces have been seen moving from the garrison to the field in preparation for drills. As Belarus nears the end of its Winter Training cycle in the month of May, this is in accordance with seasonal trends, the tweet further added.

Moreover, in a subsequent tweet the British ministry added that Russia would most certainly exaggerate the threat presented to Ukraine by these drills in order to keep Ukrainian forces in the north from being committed to the Donbass fight. It is not currently anticipated that any deviation from typical exercise activities will constitute a hazard to allies and partners, UK MoD added.

Russia-Ukraine war

Meanwhile, Ukraine's military stated its soldiers gained gains on the southern border of Kherson and Mykolaiv, as well as repelling repeated Russian attacks in the east. The Russians lost control over several settlements on the border of the Mykolayiv and Kherson areas, the General Staff reported in its daily morning statement.

According to the bulletin, Ukrainian forces also repelled 11 strikes in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. According to the General Staff, fighting over the Azovstal plant in Mariupol has resumed. According to media reports, Russia is attempting to block the flow of Western weapons into Ukraine by hitting train terminals and other supply-line targets throughout the country.

Further, heavy fighting raged on May 4 inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, which served as the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the destroyed southern port city. The Russian military says it destroyed electric power installations at five railway stations across Ukraine using sea and air-launched missiles. Moreover, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, accused Russia of "resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine."

Image: AP