Belarus Deputy Defense Minister Evgeny Shestakov stated that the NATO drills near the Belarusian border are a challenge in the framework of the Union State, thus requiring adequate response measures, Interfax reports.

“The actions carried out by NATO or under NATO’s auspices near our border…, as well as the construction of relevant infrastructure, although not considered as direct military threat now, are not positively perceived by us. This is a potential challenge in the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which requires adequate response measures,” he stated.

The Deputy Minister also added that “the threat of destabilization of the already shaky security architecture in the entire European region” is rising. Belarus “traditionally exerts all possible efforts to ensure the military and political stability bear its borders,” Shestakov said.