MOSCOW, Feb 1 - RIA Novosti. The Russian Defense Ministry "within the framework of voluntary transparency" informed foreign partners about the holding of the Russian-Belarusian exercise "Allied Resolve-2022", its parameters did not oblige to do this, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a conference call on Tuesday.
"In the period from February 10 to 20, a joint exercise "Allied Determination-2022" will be held at five Belarusian training grounds. During the exercise, tasks will be worked out to ensure the military security of the Union state and counter terrorism," Shoigu said.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia and Belarus were not obliged to notify foreign partners about the exercise, but the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation did it within the framework of voluntary transparency.
"The number of participants in the maneuvers and the main weapons systems does not exceed the parameters established by the Vienna Document of 2011, which does not oblige us to notify foreign partners about the events being held. Nevertheless, the Russian Ministry of Defense - within the framework of voluntary transparency - informed the military attaches of foreign states about the verification and joint exercises," Shoigu stressed.
He said that the maneuvers "Allied Resolve-2022" will take place as part of the second stage of the verification of the reaction forces of the Union State, which is carried out in accordance with the decision of the Presidents of Russia and Belarus.