Russia, Belarus Hold Joint Military Exercises

By The Associated Press

Sep. 29, 2009

MINSK — Russia and Belarus have held two days of massive joint military exercises on bases that are close to borders with NATO members.

Russian news reports said about 12,500 servicemen took part, roughly half from each country, and the exercises involved aircraft, armor and other heavy weapons.

The exercises were held in Russia's westernmost Kaliningrad region, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, and in southern Belarus about 75 miles (125 kilometers) from the Polish border.

Russia resents NATO's eastern spread into countries that were once Soviet republics or satellite states.

But President Dmitry Medvedev, who attended the drills with Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, said the exercises this week were strictly defensive.

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