All airfields are used to ensure the exercise, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said.

In Belarus, on January 16, joint tactical flight exercises with Russia of the aviation units of the armed forces, which are part of the aviation component of the "regional group of forces", started.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, a military formation of the aerospace forces takes part in the exercises from the Russian side.

"The main goal of the exercise is to increase operational compatibility in the joint performance of combat training tasks," the report says. "All airfields and training grounds of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are involved in the exercise."

During the exercises, the Belarusian and Russian military are allegedly going to practice:

• air reconnaissance;
• joint patrolling of the airspace along the border;
• air support for groupings of troops;
• tactical airborne landing;
• delivery of goods and evacuation of the wounded.

On January 15, 8 Russian fighters (four Su-34s and four Su-30s) and 4 cargo aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces arrived in Belarus.

According to observers, at least some of the cargo planes brought something, possibly ammunition for fighters.