Commanding staff from both countries will hold exercises on planning and conducting operations based on the experience of recent armed conflicts in terms of decision-making on the use of joint regional groups aimed at guaranteeing military security, according to the entity’s statements.

The Belarussian Ministry of Defense noted that the training is aimed at improving the compatibility of the Russian-Belarussian joint military command, and constitutes a preparation phase for the Union Shield 2023 maneuvers, to be held in Russia next September.

The President of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko announced on October 10th, 2022, the formation of a regional grouping on the basis of agreements with Moscow.

In mid-October, Minsk reported that the first groups of Russian soldiers had arrived in the country, and in turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared in December that both countries would continue joint exercises and other combat training activities.

The Belarussian Ministry of Defense reported early in January that the group continues to amass troops and is ready to carry out defense tasks for the State of the Union.

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