MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2020) The Russian and Belarusian defense ministries annually hold more than 120 joint events, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"The main focus is on training the armed forces and increasing the combat capabilities of the regional grouping. Every year, within the framework of bilateral cooperation, we conduct more than 120 events, half of which are operational and combat training," Shoigu said at a meeting of the joint board of the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus.
The minister stressed that the formation of a single defense space within the borders of the Union State continues, despite the coronavirus restrictions. According to Shoigu, a common military doctrine has been adopted, and a regional grouping of troops and a joint regional air defense system are functioning. In addition, joint military planning has been organized.
"We have a single regional grouping of troops, as well as common views on threats in the military sphere in the Eastern European region and on security issues," Belarus's Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said.
Russia and Belarus have fundamental common security interests, which are ensured both by the cooperation of the two states within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and through very extensive bilateral interaction, especially within the framework of the Union State. The upcoming Zapad-2021 military exercise is expected to be the main event for joint training of military command and control bodies next year.
