Presidents of Belarus and Russia Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin agreed to deploy a joint regional grouping of troops, BelTA reported.

Alexander Lukashenko recalled that he had a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg after the informal summit of the CIS.

"Due to the aggravation on the western borders of the Union State, we agreed to deploy a regional grouping of Russia and Belarus. This is all according to our documents. If the threat level reaches the current level, as it is now, we start deploying the Union State grouping. The core of this grouping (I have always said so) is the army, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. I have to inform you that the formation of this grouping has begun. It has been under way for, I think, two days already. My order was given to us to start forming this group," the Belarusian leader said.