MINSK, August 18. /TASS/. Belarus' near neighbors have been building up their combat potential near its borders, the chief of the country’s Security Council, Alexander Volfovich, told National Defense magazine in an interview published on Wednesday.

"Within the framework of NATO and US operations near our borders (Atlantic Resolve, Enhanced Forward Presence, and Baltic Air Policing) a permanent group of forces of more than 10,000 men and more than 500 pieces of heavy military equipment is deployed," Volfovich said.

He stressed that amid an unprecedented worsening of Russia-West military political tensions considerable efforts were focused on building up military and transport infrastructures, as well as dual purpose facilities responsible for the accommodation of foreign military groups. Modernization and upgrade work is underway at air and naval bases, training centers and proving grounds and forward deployment weapons depots are being built, he said.

Reconnaissance activity

Volfovich said that Poland was building up the attack and offensive capabilities of its armed forces and increasing their strength (from 113,000 to 200,000 in 2025), as well as forming new ground units, some of them close to the borders of Belarus. Minsk is well aware, Volfovich said, that the Western neighbors are implementing five most significant programs, with a high priority attached to US weapon systems. Similar activities are underway in the Baltic countries.

Alongside this "reconnaissance activity is in progress from the territory of neighboring countries." The aviation component of the alliance’s combined air forces carries out up to thirty reconnaissance flights a week near the Belarusian borders.

"One cannot but feel concern over more frequent demonstration flights by strategic US bombers, including those in the air space of neighboring countries (nine in 2021). With a high degree of probability, it can be stated that such flights were used to simulate missile strikes and bombing raids against targets in Belarus and Russia," Volfovich said.

In this context the combat readiness of the national armed forces and the joint Belarusian-Russian regional group is maintained at a high level and military command centers and troops hold regular exercises and drills.