In January 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the formation of three new divisions in the Western Military District of Russia. Two of them will be located near the border with Ukraine and one—near the Belarusian border (Vedomosti, January 12).
At first glance, this military orientation contradicts official Russian policy statements that declare Russia’s main enemy to be the Islamic State, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq (Interfax, April 22, 2015). Moreover, the Russian government has never publicly admitted to preparing for a war against Ukraine; rather, its officials continuously insist on the need to implement the Minsk …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation