Belarus starts military drills amid Ukraine war

Belarus has announced snap drills of its military amid the Russian war in Ukraine, but said they won't threaten any neighboring countries. In a statement the Belarusian Defence Ministry said the exercise, which began Wednesday, would check the troops' readiness and capabilities, and would assess the military's ability to act at an "unknown terrain in a rapidly changing situation."

The ministry didn't say how many troops will be involved in the drills but noted that their number will gradually increase as the exercise goes on.

The statement also emphasized that the maneuvers "don't threaten the European community in general and any neighboring countries in particular." The footage, which shows military vehicles driving down a highway, was released on Wednesday, but no details were given about when or where it was filmed.