Russia allows Belarus to use its testing grounds

Russia will allow the Belarusian military to use its testing grounds for army exercises by Belorussian air defense forces. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the relevant protocol to the agreement was signed today by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Belorussian counterpart Yuri Zhadobin after their meeting in Moscow. The two ministers have approved the goals of joint exercises for 2011 and a plan for bilateral cooperation between Russian and Belarusian Defense Ministries in 2010, comprising 70 events of operational and combat training. The plan also provides for working meetings of the two countries’ delegations on military cooperation. The ministers have also considered establishing a low-altitude radar field along the western frontier of the Union State.