Belarus plans to send up to 200 troops to Syria to operate alongside Russian forces, According to a Russian government document revealed Monday.

Belarusian forces will seek to offer “humanitarian assistance” to the populace outside battle zones, according to a draft agreement between Russia and its partner Belarus signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

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Since 2015, Russia has been engaged in a military operation in Syria, partnering with Iran to assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government in regaining control of the majority of the nation following a brutal civil war.

The anticipated deployment of Belarusian troops to Syria illustrates the two ex-Soviet neighbours and allies’ growing defence ties.

Russia has dispatched troops from Siberia and the Far East to Belarus for sweeping military drills in recent weeks. The move bolstered Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine, raising Western worries of an invasion.

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Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has pressed for stronger defence ties with Moscow and even offered to host Russian nuclear weapons amid harsh Western sanctions sparked by his assault on domestic protesters.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the major opposition challenger to Lukashenko who was forced to flee the country following Lukashenko’s re-election to a sixth term in an August 2020 election that the opposition and the West perceived as fraudulent, slammed the pact for sending Belarusian troops to Syria.

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She characterised the decision as Lukashenko’s retaliation for Moscow’s assistance, claiming that it is counter to the country’s constitution and national interests.

“Lukashenko is paying with Belarus’ sovereignty for the support he received in 2020 that helped him stay in power,” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press.