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Russia, Belarus form unified defense space — Belarusian military industry official

Dmitry Pantus said that it enhances the defense capability of the Union State

MINSK, October 31. /TASS/. A unified defense space of the Union State has effectively been formed, Dmitry Pantus, the chairman of Belarus’s State Military-Industrial Committee, said following a meeting of the Belarusian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.

"In recent years, in my opinion, industrial cooperation in the defense industry between our countries has reached its highest level. It can also be said that a unified defense space between Russia and Belarus has effectively been formed. It enhances the defense capability of the Union State," the BelTA news agency quoted him as saying.

According to Pantus, the meeting also addressed a range of issues concerning cooperation between the two countries' defense industries. "A protocol amending the 2009 military-technical cooperation agreement between our countries will be signed in the near future. As a reminder, a program on technological processes was recently signed."

In recent years, the algorithm of work in the defense industry has changed significantly, he noted.

"We have moved from direct supplies to industrial cooperation. A huge number of parts, components, and assemblies produced in Belarus are used in finished products manufactured in Russia, and vice versa. We have made significant progress in aircraft manufacturing. These days Belarus supplies a fairly large volume of products and assemblies in this area. The Osvey project and a number of others are well-known," Pantus noted.

He emphasized that "sanctions have given additional impetus to the development of areas that were not very developed in Russia and Belarus."

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