The Belarusian military launched a surprise military check which included the introduction of “measures to switch from peacetime to wartime". Belarus is a close ally of Russia. In October, the two nations announced the creation of a joint military force, which is to be hosted by Belarus and is meant to bolster national security. Russia reportedly agreed to provide 9,000 troops, with the host nation contributing the bulk of the 70,000 military service members. Watch this video for more.