Minsk : Belarus has asked Russia to deploy up to 15 more warplanes in Belarus in the light of NATO's intensified activities close to the Belarusian border.
Belarus is requesting Russia to reinforce their joint group of troops, in particular with aviation, under bilateral agreements, Xinhua quoted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as telling the Belarusian Security Council here Wednesday.
The move intends to adequately respond to NATO's decision to build up military presence near the Belarusian borders, he said.
"If NATO redeploys about 15 airplanes from Italy to the Baltic states, I think we should contact the chief of the Russian General Staff and offer them the reinforcements they are obligated to provide us with as part of the Russian-Belarusian alliance," Lukashenko said.
