MINSK, 9 August (BelTA) – About 360,000 military personnel have been deployed in the immediate vicinity of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The number includes the armed forces of Eastern Europe countries, the Russian news agency TASS quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.
In his words, about 8,000 armored vehicles, 6,000 artillery systems and mortars, 650 aircraft and helicopters are also deployed near the borders of the Union State of Belarus and Russia.
Sergei Shoigu remarked that since February 2022 the number of units deployed by extraregional NATO countries has increased by 2.5 times to exceed 30,000 people.
Sergei Shoigu pointed out that Russia will reinforce the Russian army units deployed at the country’s western borders.
Sergei Shoigu also noted that Poland intends to set up a Polish-Ukrainian formation allegedly for security purposes but essentially for occupying western Ukraine. He drew attention to the risks inherent in Poland’s militarization. The official noted that Warsaw had declared its intention to build the continent’s most powerful army as Poles describe it. This is why Poland has started massive purchases of weaponry from the USA, UK, and South Korea, including tanks, artillery systems, air defense systems, missile defense systems, and combat aviation.