TSAMTO, February 3. Belarus can count on Russia's firm support in striving to form a unified defense space within the borders of the Union State.
This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu at a meeting in Minsk with the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
"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," the head of the Russian military department said, addressing Alexander Lukashenko.
According to the Russian Defense Minister, the solidary cooperation between 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," Sergei Shoigu stressed.
Referring to the plans for the current year, Sergei Shoigu said that a large group of troops of the Armed Forces of Belarus will be transferred to the territory of Russia as part of the strategic exercise "Vostok-2022".
"As for our exercises: we have more than 20 events ahead of us this year. And if during these exercises ("Allied Resolve-2022") we transferred troops from the east here, to the western borders of the Commonwealth, then the exercises "Vostok-2022", they will be in the east. And according to your decision, the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of Belarus will participate in these exercises – a large group. Now they have to move 10 thousand kilometers there," the head of the Russian military department said.
Shoigu also noted the importance and timeliness of the creation of joint Russian-Belarusian training centers.
"Training centers – the idea that was voiced by you and supported by our president - we have implemented it. Today, a joint training center has been created, I am focusing attention here, because the main idea was that it should be a joint center. To fly together, to guard the airspace together," the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation quotes Sergei Shoigu.
