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Russian government to consider establishing Russian airbase in Belarus

In October 2014, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev announced that Russia will station an air base in Belarus’ Babruysk in 2016

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The Russian government will consider a draft agreement on establishing a Russian airbase in Belarus, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, opening a governmental session on Wednesday.

"A session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council will be held [in Belarus] next week. Today we will consider proposals for an agreement on a Russian airbase in Belarus, which is to be submitted to the president. The objective of such an agreement is to ensure joint protection of the external airspace border of the Union State", Medvedev said.

In October 2014, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev announced that Russia will station an air base in Belarus’ Babruysk in 2016. "The Russian Air Forces air base in Belarus will be created in 2016. Su-27 fighter jets will be based there," Bondarev said.

The same year, Russia decided to send 24 Su-27SM3 fighter jets to Belarus' Baranovichi airfield to be used to provide inviolability of the airspace of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

The Su-27 Flanker is a twin-engine supermaneuverable fighter jet, which can be used to perform various combat operations, including reconnaissance and interception of enemy aircraft.