Russian-Belarusian group of forces ready for any scenario – Russian foreign minister

December 1, BPN. The Russian-Belarusian joint regional group of forces is ready for any scenario, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told a press conference on European security, TASS reported.

“The joint group has land and air components. Our presidents pay close attention to it, given the provocative acts from Ukraine. All necessary preparedness measures have been taken for any options. I assure you we will rely on our Union State and its capabilities. Its capabilities are good,” Lavrov said.

He added: “When Western Europe, NATO and the EU realize that their policy leads to an impasse and poses huge risks, we will see what request they will be ready to come to us with to discuss some other options.”

On October 15, the defense ministry in Minsk said that first trains carrying Russian troops as part of the joint regional group of forces arrived in Belarus. The regional group was formed to enhance Union State border security, it said. “This decision was dictated by ongoing activity in the border areas,” it added.

On February 24, Russia launched a full-scale war against the Ukrainian people. The authorities in Minsk deny that Belarusian troops participate in hostilities. At the same time, the territory of Belarus was actively used by the Russians to attack Ukraine at the outset of the invasion and in later periods.