MINSK, February 3. /TASS/. The troops of Russia and Belarus will conduct over 20 joint military measures this year, including the Vostok 2022 drills, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday.

"We will have over 20 exercises this year," the Russian defense chief said.

In particular, Russia and Belarus will conduct the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) joint drills, Shoigu said.

"By your decision, the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces of Belarus will participate in these drills, which will involve a large force. Now they will have to relocate by 10,000 km to that region [to the Far East]," the Russian defense chief said.

In accordance with the plans of the Union Resolve 2022 joint drills, troops and capabilities have been deployed from Russia’s east to the western borders of the Russia-Belarus Union State on Belarusian territory, Shoigu said.

In the course of the Vostok 2022 joint drills, its participants will focus their forces and capabilities on the Union State’s eastern flank, he explained.