MOSCOW, 25 January (BelTA) – Any Belarusian-Russian army exercises are always criticized by NATO. The former state secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, a member of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Grigory Rapota made the statement at a press conference on 25 January while talking about the Belarusian-Russian army exercise Allied Resolve 2022, BelTA has learned.
Grigory Rapota reminded that a regional army group had been established in the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The army group combines Russia's Western Military District with Belarus' Armed Forces. “From the professional point of view, if some military group is created, it has to demonstrate good combat readiness. Otherwise, it is useless,” he said. “In order to maintain good combat readiness, it is necessary to arrange all kinds of military exercises. One is being held right now.”
Grigory Rapota noted that such exercises are held alternately in Belarus and Russia every year. They are always criticized by neighbor countries and by NATO representatives, he said. “It is the same situation right now. We can speculate about it all you want but the gist of the matter is that there is a regional army group and if need be, it will have to act just the way the Collective Security Treaty Organization has acted,” he pointed out.
Grigory Rapota went on saying that the next army exercise is likely to take place in Russia and will face criticism as well. “We've already grown accustomed to it. On the whole, I believe we should pay less attention to what the West says. We have to do our job and know what we do it for,” he added.
