Russia and Belarus begin joint air force drills

Russian and Belarusian air force units have begun joint exercises on Belarus’s territory, the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

During the drills, which are slated to last until February 1, air force personnel from the two countries will work on a “wide range of issues,” including patrolling airspace along the border and providing air support to ground troops.

In the fall of 2022, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to deploy a joint “regional grouping” of troops from both countries “as a result of the escalation on the western borders of the Union State.” In October, the joint unit, which contained 9,000 Russian soldiers, began engaging in “armed defense of the Union State.”