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Russia and Belarus make show of force, friendship
By EUobserver
Russia and Belarus have begun the largest military drill seen in Europe in decades, with the 'Zapad 2021' exercise to see more than 200,000 troops mobilised in a simulated war with Nato powers. Russian leader Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko Thursday, also agreed to loan Minsk $630m and to maintain low prices for gas and oil exports, after the EU imposed economic sanctions on Belarus.