Belarus’ Defence Ministry said Russia and Belarus would extend joint military exercises that had been due to end on Sunday, dashing Western hopes that Russia would swiftly withdraw forces that could be used in a potential invasion of Ukraine. The ministry did not say how long Russian troops in Belarus – estimated by NATO to number 30,000 – might now remain in the country, which lies north of Ukraine. The decision to extend was taken because of increased military activity near the borders of Russia and Belarus and an escalation of the situation in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, the Belarus ministry said in a statement. The next