Artillery units of mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Belarus are brought to readiness on Friday as part of the regional grouping of troops, the press service of the Belarusian defense ministry reported.

"Today artillery units of the 11th Independent Mechanized Brigade are brought in readiness to fulfill tasks of their missions within the joint activities of combat readiness of the regional grouping of troops of Belarus and Russia," the statement noted.

On October 10, 2022, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced the beginning of formation of a regional grouping of troops, the basis of which will consist of the Belarusian servicemen within the framework of the agreements with Moscow.

Minsk reported in the middle of October that the first troop trains with Russian servicemen had arrived in the republic. Russian President Vladimir Putin said after the talks with Lukashenko in the Belarusian capital on December 19 that Moscow and Minsk would continue the practice of joint exercises and other military training activities, including those within the framework of the grouping.

In early January, the Defense Ministry of Belarus reported that the group continues to build up and that it is ready to carry out tasks for the protection of the Union State.