MINSK, October 22. /TASS/. The situation around Russia and Belarus continues to be characterized as complex and dynamic, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin reported.

"The situation around our countries remains complex and dynamic. Active combat training and reconnaissance activities are underway near our borders, the military presence on NATO’s eastern flank is growing, and attempts at destabilization and provocations in the information sphere continue," he said at a meeting of the joint collegium of the defense ministries of Belarus and Russia.

According to Khrenin, under these conditions, the joint efforts of Russia and Belarus are "not a formality, but a practical necessity." "It is precisely the unity of Belarus and Russia that allows us to keep the situation in the region under control," the top defense official emphasized.