(ANSA-AFP) - KYIV, DEC 19 - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday arrived for a rare visit to neighbouring Belarus, which Moscow used to launch its invasion of Ukraine nearly 10 months ago, for talks with close ally and strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko. His arrival on an icy runway in Minsk came hours after Russian forces launched a swarm of attack drones at critical infrastructure in Kyiv, which provoked emergency blackouts in a dozen regions. The Kremlin has for years sought to deepen integration with Belarus, which relies on Moscow for cheap oil and loans, but Lukashenko had resisted outright unification with Russia despite being a key ally in the war.

Speculation was mounting ahead of the Russian leader's visit that he would pressure Lukashenko to send his troops to Ukraine alongside Russia's military after a series of defeats for Moscow in nearly 10 months of fighting. (ANSA-AFP).