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Russia's top brass stresses special nature of Russian-Belarusian armed forces relations

"Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defense of Belarus, and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held a telephone conversation," the Belarusian Defense Ministry's press service reported

MINSK, May 15. /TASS/. Newly appointed Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has stressed the distinctive nature of the relations between the two countries' armed forces in a telephone conversation with his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin, the Belarusian Defense Ministry's press service reported.

"Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defense of Belarus, and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held a telephone conversation. The parties discussed the current state of bilateral relations. The Russian defense minister emphasized the special nature of relations between the armed forces of the two states," the report says.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported that Khrenin congratulated Belousov on his appointment. The Belarusian minister expressed confidence that the Russian Armed Forces "will continue to successfully fulfill the tasks of ensuring security and protecting Russia's national interests" under Belousov's leadership. Khrenin emphasized that today it is more important than ever to strengthen military cooperation within the Union State.

On May 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed new ministers and deputy prime ministers. Belousov, who previously served as first deputy prime minister, was appointed defense minister.

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Foreign policy Belarus

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