MOSCOW, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Russia and Belarus will hold joint military drills in February, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was quoted by the state Belta news agency as saying on Monday, amid soaring tensions over Ukraine.
Russia has spooked the West and Kyiv by building up forces near Ukraine's borders, stirring fears it plans to invade. Moscow denies any such plan. Belarus is a close ally of Russia.
Lukashenko told his defence minister: "We were planning to start exercises in February. Set an exact date and let us know, so we aren't blamed for massing some troops here out of the blue, as if we are preparing to go to war." (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Andrew Osborn)
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