MINSK, March 05. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian servicemen of the second group after rotation are on duty in Belarus, the press service of the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
Russian servicemen are on duty together with Belarusians at a Belarusian air force and air defense base.
In the planned rotation, Russian personnel and aircraft from the Western Military District arrived at an airfield in Baranovichi, the Brest region, the press service said.
Russian and Belarusian air force and air defense units are together on duty in accordance with a Russian-Belarusian agreement to guard borders and the air space of the union and form a common regional air defense system.
The first group of Russian pilots had been on duty in Belarus since December 2013. During their service, they showed high professionalism and flying skills, including in combat readiness tests conducted under the Belarusian president's orders, the press service said, adding Russian crews together with Belarusian personnel successfully carried out tasks to intercept and "destroy" control targets.
The joint air defense servicing improved combat capabilities of duty forces, the Defense Ministry noted.