The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
The report, published on Wednesday, alleged that Russia wants to use Belarus to intensify attacks on Ukraine and threatened to reduce financial support to Minsk if it refused.
Speaking on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the claims, saying they "do not correspond to reality" and describing Belarus as Russia's "closest ally".
Belarusian territory served as a staging ground for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned in recent months that Moscow is seeking to draw Belarus more deeply into the conflict.
Last week, Zelenskyy said Russian drone attacks were being guided by signal relay stations located in Belarus and gave President Alexander Lukashenko one week to remove them, warning that Ukraine would act if Belarus failed to do so.
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said the relay stations had "stopped working", although he added it was unclear whether they had been dismantled.
Although Lukashenko has not deployed Belarusian troops to fight alongside Russian forces, Minsk has provided key support to Moscow throughout the war. Belarus hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons, regularly conducts joint military exercises with Russia, and allows Russian forces to use its military bases and training grounds.
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U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit overnight.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 16 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
Russia will hold parliamentary elections from 18 to 20 September 2026, the country's first State Duma vote since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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