MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Belarus is paying special attention to the issue of countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as in modern combat operations, 70-80% of fire damage is done by UAVs, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on the sidelines of a meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers, and Security Council Secretaries in Moscow.

"We are actively monitoring the situation," he noted. "And we see how rapidly the forms and methods of warfare are changing. As of today, in terms of numbers, unmanned aerial vehicles already account for more than 70%, or even 80% of fire damage," the BelTA news agency quoted him as saying.

The minister noted that in today's day and age, drone attacks can devastate a country’s economy. "And our president [Alexander Lukashenko] emphasized at the security forum [that] no country in the world today possesses a perfect system of air defense and countermeasures against drones. Therefore, this is a very relevant topic," Khrenin noted.

According to him, Belarus is actively studying Russia’s experience. The minister said that at the arms exhibition in Moscow on Tuesday, he paid close attention to something new that is of interest to the armed forces: ensuring a reliable air defense system.

The minister also said that Belarus will be improving its systems for countering unmanned aerial vehicles. "Significant efforts will be focused on this," he said.