MINSK, February 3. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has spoken highly of the operation to move military personnel from the Eastern Military Region of Russia to Belarus for exercise and their accommodation on the Belarusian territory. He was speaking at a meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Thursday.

"All was organized well and there are even certain reserves. All was extremely well done. There are opportunities for accommodating more equipment," the BelTA news agency quotes Shoigu as saying.

"Today we will carry out a major inspection to find out what has been accomplished at this stage of the preparations for the exercise (Union Resolve 2022 - TASS) and what is still to be done," Shoigu said, adding that checks of the Union State’s joint reaction force were nearing completion. At this stage large groups of troops and military equipment are to be airlifted from Russia at a distance of nearly 10,000 kilometers.

Shoigu recalled that the exercise was being held on orders from the supreme commanders-in-chief of Russia and Belarus.

"You remarked quite correctly that January forced us to begin these exercises, checks and joint work much earlier. Kazakhstan was the reason," Shoigu told Lukashenko. "Of course, thanks the prompt response of the presidents - yours and Vladimir Putin’s and your CSTO counterparts this operation was conducted within the tightest deadlines and, as experience shows, very timely."

About the drills

The Union State’s joint reaction force will undergo checks in two stages. First, by February 9, groups of forces will be redeployed to Belarus, measures taken to enhance the security and protection of key government and military facilities and the air border. The readiness of air defense systems on duty to provide protection for crucial facilities will be tested. During the second phase, lasting from February 10 to February 20 the Union Resolve-2022 exercise will be conducted to practice measures to prevent and repel foreign aggression, resist terrorism and protect the interests of the Union State.

The drills will be conducted at the Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky and Osipovichsky proving grounds. The Baranovichi, Luninets, Lida and Machulishchi airdromes will be involved.