MINSK, February 21. /TASS/. Russia’s troops will return to their permanent bases from Belarus once the objective need arises, Chief of the Belarusian General Staff Major General Viktor Gulevich said at a briefing for defense attaches on Monday.

"Russian troops will return to their permanent bases only when there is an objective need for that and we determine that ourselves. This is solely our internal matter," he noted. Gulevich emphasized that the timeframe for the return of troops to Russia "will to a large extent depend on our Western colleagues." "The forces that have been deployed to Eastern Europe, including near the Belarusian state border, are one of the factors that influence any further developments," the Belarusian top brass clarified.

He added that "given the growing military buildup near the borders of the Union State [of Belarus and Russia] and mounting tensions in Donbass, the presidents of Belarus and Russia have decided to continue the check of the Union State’s response forces."

The joint Russian-Belarusian drills Union Resolve 2022 took place in Belarus on February 10-20 as part of the combat readiness check of the Union State’s response forces.