MINSK. Jan 26 (Interfax) - The Belarusian Armed Forces have responded to a rise in NATO military-training activities by stepping up their own, with some units beginning a march to the venue of tactical drills, which will include a live fire exercise, on January 23, the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Interfax on Friday.
"The end of 2014 was marked by the Baltic States' activity of unprecedented scale in intensifying strategic and tactical training. The neighboring states are demonstrating the desire to build up foreign military presence in their national territories," the Defense Ministry said.
Apart from boosting its air forces in the Baltic States which are patrolling the airspace, the alliance has consistently been amassing extra troops armed with heavy weapons near the Belarusian borders, the ministry said.
"Whatever the geopolitical conditions that forced our foreign partners make this decision, Belarus has no right to ignore the change in the regional military political situation which carries additional risks, threats and challenges to our country's military security," the defense ministry said.
These aspects were taken into account by Belarusian military and political leaders in preparing a 2014-2015 armed forces training plan, the statement said.
"The exercises will involve the Air Force aircraft and Air Defense troops practicing re-deployment and the Armed Forces units the tightening of national border security," the defense ministry said.
Concurrently, a number of military officials, commanders and chiefs will be involved, who will get an extra practice in controlling army units during mock alerts and drills.