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WORLD NEWS Friday 15 September 2017
Jitters in Europe as Russia-Belarus war games get underway

By YURAS KARMANAU attack, the exercises have
Associated Press also been criticized by Be-
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — larusian opposition leaders.
Russia and Belarus began They say Russia could use
major war games Thursday, the occasion to position a
an operation involving large, permanent contin-
thousands of troops, tanks gent of troops in Belarus,
and aircraft on NATO’s leaving the country at the
eastern edge practicing mercy of any armed con-
how to hunt down and de- frontation involving Mos-
stroy armed spies, among cow.
other maneuvers. The exercises began Thurs-
The Zapad (West) 2017 ma- day night with units simu-
neuvers, which are mainly lating hunting down and
taking place in Belarus this destroying reconnaissance
year, have caused con- agents belonging to illegal
cern among members of armed groups, according
the Western military alli- to Oleg Belokonev, the Be-
ance and in neighboring larusian Deputy Defense
countries. Minister.
Some NATO members, in- “Command points have
cluding the Baltic states been set up and fully-func-
and Poland, have criticized tioning command systems
a lack of transparency created,” Belokonev told Belarusian army vehicles drive preparing for war games at an undisclosed location in Belarus.
about the exercises and journalists at a press confer- Russia and Belarus are holding massive war games, Zapad 2017, that started on Thursday near the
questioned Moscow’s real ence in Minsk, the capital. borders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. (Vayar Military Agency photo via AP)
intentions. Valery Gerasimov, the chief
Russia and Belarus say the of the General Staff of the
exercises, which run until Russian armed forces, for-
Sept. 20, involve 5,500 Rus- mally notified NATO of the
sian and 7,200 Belarusian beginning of the exercises
troops. Russian military offi- on Thursday evening, ac-
cials have said up to 70 air- cording to Russian media.
craft and about 250 tanks, NATO Secretary-General
200 artillery systems and 10 Jens Stoltenberg told NATO
navy ships will also be in- troops in Estonia last week
volved. that the alliance will be
Estonian Defense Minis- closely monitoring Zapad
ter Juri Liuk, however, says exercises.
Moscow could deploy up Russia-West relations nose-
to 100,000 troops. dived to their lowest level
“Leaving weapons in Belar- since the Cold War in recent
us means the Russian army years after Moscow’s 2014
could prepare bases for annexation of Ukraine’s
a sudden broad attack ... Crimean Peninsula and its
right at the NATO border,” support of separatists fight-
Lithuanian officer Darius ing the Ukrainian govern-
Antanaitis said. ment in eastern Ukraine,
While the Baltic nations fear clashes that have left over
the Zapad maneuvers may 10,000 people dead.
lead to a surprise Russian q
French minister advocates for

jailed journalist in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — swift trial for jailed French
France’s foreign minister journalist Loup Bureau, who
called on Turkey’s govern- has been jailed in Turkey
ment Thursday to respect since July 26 on suspicion
European Union values of terrorism “so that he may
and to work to improve its rapidly return to France
strained relations with Ger- and to his family.”
many and other EU nations. Le Drian says Turkish lead-
Foreign Minister Jean-Yves ers agreed to improve the
Le Drian said at a news conditions under which
conference with his Turkish Bureau is being held and
counterpart in Ankara that to allow the journalist fam-
France does not want to ily visits.Turkey has accused
see a “rupture” in Turkey’s Bureau of aiding and assist-
connection to the Europe- ing a terrorist organization
an bloc. for reporting on Kurds living
Le Drian also called for a near the Iraq border. q