MINSK, October 24. /TASS/. NATO has stepped up reconnaissance activity in the Baltic and Black Sea regions, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a joint board meeting of Russian and Belarussian defense ministries on Wednesday.

"Considerable increase in NATO’s intelligence activity in the Baltic and Black Sea regions has been identified. This year alone Russia’s Aerospace Force planes were dispatched to intercept potential intruders into Russian air space more than 120 times," Shoigu said.

The Russian and Belarussian defense ministries are considering joint actions to maintain stability and security in the region.