MINSK, October 26. /TASS/. Minsk does not see a clear threat that strike forces are going to be formed on the country’s border, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Wednesday.

"Despite a somewhat alarming situation, I would like to point out that as of today, we don’t see a clear threat of strike forces being created. However, we are keeping a very close eye on it all," he said, as cited by the BelTA news agency.

Khrenin added that the military and political situation "is unfolding under the influence of an unprecedented geopolitical standoff between the Russian Federation and the so-called collective West led by the US." "The West did not show any reaction to Belarus’ numerous appeals to common sense. The West and the countries that it controls continued to deliberately raise tensions," the Belarusian defense chief added.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that in the south, Ukraine had deployed up to 15,000 troops to the border area. Minsk has also repeatedly pointed to activities aimed at strengthening national armed forces and NATO units in Poland and the Baltic states. The Belarusian defense minister earlier stated that the country’s Armed Forces conducted missions on the country’s southern border on a rotational basis and were ready to respond to possible provocations emanating from the western and southwestern directions.