Minsk. February 3. INTERFAX-AVN - Belarus can count on Russia's firm support in striving to form a unified defense space, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Thursday.
"Russia highly appreciates your determination to resist the destructive line of the West and your readiness to form a single defense space within the borders of the Union State. You can always count on our firm support in this," Shoigu said.
According to him, "the solidary cooperation of Russia and Belarus, as well as the desire to provide assistance to the ally as quickly and effectively as possible, were clearly demonstrated during the joint peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan."
"This is evidence that efforts to create an integrated security system are yielding results," the Russian Defense Minister said.
He said that Russia and Belarus, being strategic partners and allies, have gained a high pace in all areas of integration cooperation.
"The Republic of Belarus is our strategic partner, closest friend and ally. A high pace has been gained in all areas of integration cooperation," Shoigu said.
Russia and Belarus are checking the reaction forces of the Union State. At the first stage - until February 9 - the redeployment and creation of groups of troops is carried out. At the second stage - from February 10 to 20 - a joint exercise "Allied Resolve-2022" will be held.
The maneuvers are taking place against the backdrop of a crisis in relations between Russia and NATO.
The United States, other NATO countries and Ukraine announced the concentration of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border and the threat of a Russian invasion.
On January 30, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that Russia does not want to fight with Ukraine, there is no threat from Moscow.
On January 31, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the exercises in Belarus could be used to hide preparations for an invasion of Ukrainian territory.
Almost all the armed forces of Belarus, as well as parts of the Eastern Military District, the Aerospace Forces and the Airborne Troops of Russia will be involved in the exercises, head of the main directorate of combat training of the Belarusian army Andrei Nekrasevich said on January 21.
On January 27, the head of the Belarusian General Staff, Viktor Gulevich, said that after the exercises, the Russian military would leave Belarus, there was no threat to neighbors and Europe as a whole.
