Events

MOSCOW, 1 October (BelTA) - Russia has completed the ratification of two agreements with Belarus in the military sphere: the protocol on amendments and additions to the Belarusian-Russian agreement on the joint protection of the external border of the Union State in the airspace and on the integrated regional air defense system of Belarus and Russia, and the agreement on joint maintenance of the regional group of forces of Belarus and Russia. The relevant laws were signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and posted on the Russian official legal information website, BelTA has learned.

The laws on ratification of the agreements were adopted by the State Duma of Russia on 20 October and approved by the Federation Council on 25 October.

The protocol amending the agreement on the joint protection of the external border of the Union State in the airspace and on the integrated regional air defense system of Belarus and Russia clarifies some of the language. In Article 1 of the agreement the concept “period of threat” is replaced by the words “period of the imminent threat of aggression”. The document explains that “period of the imminent threat of aggression” is a period of deteriorating military and political situation during which a threat of aggression arises and persists against one of the parties from a state or a group of states.

The document also introduces the amendments to the organization and establishment of the Armed Forces of Russia and also the rules of using weapons and hardware by air defense officers on duty in the joint performance of tasks.

The agreement on the maintenance of the regional group of forces of Belarus and Russia regulates cooperation between the armed forces of Belarus and Russia in the organization of the joint maintenance of the group. The document will help reduce the time for arms and hardware supplies to military units that make part of the regional group of forces.