Military Cooperation between Russia and Belarus: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives

• Main Author: Pugačiauskas Virgilijus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2019-12-01
• Series: Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/lasr-2019-0010

The article analyses the dynamics of military cooperation between Russia and Belarus at the time when Russia’s aggression against Ukraine revealed president Vladimir Putin’s objective to consolidate control over his interest zone in the nearest post-soviet area at all hazards. This could be called the time-period during which endurance of military cooperation is increased and during which Russia demonstrates its principle ambition to expand the use of military capabilities while leaning on Belorussian military capabilities, military infrastructure and territory as a bridgehead for potential military actions. For this reason, the aim of the paper is to outline the key factors which determine military integration of the both countries, or, more specifically, to discuss orientations and objectives set forth for building military cooperation as laid down in the documents regulating military policy, to discuss and assess practical cases of strengthening of interaction between military capabilities (strategic military exercises), to reveal the accomplishments of military and technical cooperation, problems it might pose and potential prospects of its development.