MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. The guard tank army of Russia’s Western Military District was reinforced to protect the country on the Western strategic direction, the military district told journalists Friday.

In late May, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said that the Western strategic direction remains under the highest threat for Russia’s military security, adding that, in accordance with the 2019-2025 plan of action, Russia conducts a complex of measures to neutralize the emerging threats.

"The Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Sevastopol Red Banner Brigade named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR was included in the Guards Red Banner Tank Army of the Western Military District to perform tasks on ensuring the defense of the Russian Federation in the Western strategic direction," the district’s press service said, adding that the motorized brigade has been deployed in the Novomoskovsky Administrative District of Moscow.

"It is armed with modern weapons and military and specialized vehicles, such as T-90A tanks, BTR-82A armored carriers, BMP-3 combat vehicles, and 9A34 Strela-10 and 2S6M Tunguska air defense systems," the press service said.

In early June, head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff Sergei Rudskoi noted that the Russian Ministry of Defense consistently registered high level of military activity of the US and its NATO allies near Russian borders, adding that the alliance also ramped up its exercises that bear a distinct anti-Russian character.