The regional force grouping of the Union State of Belarus and Russia is a purely defensive project, BelTA learned from Deputy Chief for Science of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, Colonel Viktor Tumar.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry quoted Viktor Tumar as saying: “For a number of years we've been watching NATO countries building up their military potential near our borders. Military infrastructure in Poland and the Baltic states is being improved, including by means of setting up new military installations in close vicinity to our border. Formations that possess modern offensive weapons are being set up in the regions Belarus borders on. These facts testify to the growing threat to the military security of the Republic of Belarus and the Union State of Belarus and Russia and require immediate measures.”

To ensure parity in the area of military security and peacekeeping, the Republic of Belarus has decided to create a regional force grouping in the country, the officer specified. Belarusian army units up to peacetime strength and individual units of the Russian army will be the core of the force grouping. The regional force grouping is a purely defensive project. The decision to create it has been made for the sake of enhancing the protection and defense of Belarus' state border with a view to reducing military activity in the regions Belarus' borders on, Viktor Tumar noted. “I deem it necessary to mention that army units belonging to the Russian component of the regional force grouping will start arriving in Belarus literally within the next few days. They will go through routine combat training events designed to elevate the level of fulfillment of Union State defense missions,” he said.