MOSCOW, 15 February (BelTA) - The Belarusian-Russian exercise Allied Resolve is connected with NATO's increased activity near the borders of the Union State, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic Sergei Rachkov said at the conference "Security and Economic Sovereignty of the Union State: Common Priorities" in Moscow on 15 February, BelTA had learned.
Sergei Rachkov stated that military and military-technical cooperation between Belarus and Russia is aimed at repelling external military threats, the main source of which are the United States and NATO's actions in the Eastern European region. "The increased activity of the United States and NATO near the borders of the Union State makes us work out new options for joint actions for various scenarios in the theater of possible military operations," he said. “In this regard, in December 2021, the presidents of Belarus and Russia decided to conduct a large-scale inspection of the Union State's response forces. A snap inspection has two stages. The second stage, running from 10 to 20 February, features the joint operational exercise Allied Resolve 2022. The name of the exercise may have a reference to the U.S. Atlantic Resolve conducted since April 2014 and aimed at building up the U.S. military presence in Eastern Europe. Thus, it is demonstrated that Belarus and Russia respond to the Atlantic Resolve with the Allied Resolve. The idea of the exercise shows its defensive nature and the preparedness of the Union State for retaliatory actions in an event of aggression."
The senator said that after the completion of the exercise, preparations will begin for a large-scale joint exercise Union Shield 2023, which will be held on the territory of Russia. "Further joint measures of Belarus and Russia to ensure the defense of the Union State will depend on the military-political situation in the region," he stressed. "Of course, all steps of the Union State in the military and military-technical fields should be adequate to the current and future external challenges and threats and meet the principle of reasonable sufficiency."
"Ensuring military security should also involve political and diplomatic steps to reduce tension and military threats to the Union State. This is what the negotiations on security guarantees and security measures between Russia, the United States and NATO are aimed at. Security and stability in the Union State and also in the region and the world as a whole will largely depend on the success or failure of these negotiations," Sergei Rachkov concluded.
The conference "Security and Economic Sovereignty of the Union State: Common Priorities" held via a video link was hosted by Belaya Rus public organization and the Civic Chamber of Russia. It was also organized by the Gromyko Association for Foreign Policy Studies.
