The number of Russian troops in Belarus has decreased to around only 4,000 since the start of the year, according to Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Speaking on Sunday (26 March), Demchenko said that "a little more than 4,000 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces are on the territory of Belarus, but they are mainly involved either in joint exercises or in training that is ongoing in Belarus."
"This number is slightly less than before. Because Russia took the units that had undergone training from the territory of Belarus to its territory for further transfer, including to the east of our country, where full-scale combat operations are being conducted," he added.
This figure is less than half of the approximately 10,000 Russian soldiers that were estimated to be station in Belarus in January 2023 amid warnings and concerns of a second Russian offensive on Kyiv after the initial assault in February and March 2022 ended in failure and withdrawal.
