Moscow (TIP): Russia is sending troops from the country’s far east to Belarus for major war games, officials said on January 18, in a deployment further beefing up Russian military assets near Ukraine amid Western fears of an invasion. Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said the drills are intended to practice a joint response to external threats by the alliance of Russia and Belarus, which have close political, economic and military ties. Fomin didn’t say how many troops and weapons were being redeployed for the exercises, or give the number of troops that will be involved in the war games. Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia could launch an attack from various directions, including from the territory of its ally Belarus. — AP