The military of Belarus and Russia have begun preparation of the exercise Union Shield. According to Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov, the maneuvers will be the main event for joint training of military command bodies and troops next year and will ensure improvement of the security system of the Union State. Within the framework of the Collegium of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus and Russia, an agreement has been concluded on the exchange of information on promising developments, as well as on cooperation in other areas.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted the importance of bilateral cooperation, especially in the context of NATO activization near the borders of the Union State, which has reached an unprecedented level since the days of the Cold War. The head of the Russian military department noted: “Under these conditions, we are forced to take retaliatory measures and must be ready to neutralize possible military threats in all directions.”












