MINSK, February 8. /TASS/. The united command of the regional force grouping of the Russia-Belarus Union State is holding a joint staff exercise in preparations for the Zapad-2021 (West-2021) strategic drills, the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"On February 8-12, representatives of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia in the united command will practice measures at stationary command posts to use one of the options of employing the grouping of forces (troops) in an operation of the regional group of forces (troops)," the ministry said in a statement.

The exercise is an integral part of a set of measures to prepare for the Zapad-2021 joint drills that will run on training grounds in Belarus and Russia on September 10-16. The drills’ scenario envisages a possible escalation of the military and political situation against a notional state, the statement says.