Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Monday to meet with his ally President Alexander Lukashenko.

The visit is scheduled as Russian forces launch continuous attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, while Ukraine is asking for international help to boost its air defenses.

The US think-tank The Institute for the Study of War predicted on Sunday that Putin will discuss a wider involvement of Belarusian forces in furthering Russia's aims in Ukraine.

An independent group in Belarus reports that Russian military aircraft and vehicles have been arriving in the country since the beginning of this month.
Separately, the Belarusian military says its units have conducted rapid response drills.

Ukrainian officials speculate that a new major Russian offensive could happen early next year. They are apparently also keeping an eye on military movements in Belarus, whose southern border is close to the capital Kyiv.

In an interview with British media, Ukrainian armed forces commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said their strategic mission is to prepare for a new major military operation that could occur in February. He predicted war may be waged in and around Kyiv and near the Belarusian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that protection of the borders with Russia and Belarus is a constant priority. He said, "We are preparing for all possible defense scenarios."