MINSK, October 22. /TASS/. The North Atlantic Alliance’s military buildup will require a timely response from the armies of Russia and Belarus, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said, addressing a joint meeting of the boards of the Russian and Belarusian defense ministries in Minsk on Thursday.

"All this requires our timely response to the changing military and political situation [while] deepening cooperation in security provision and strengthening its military capabilities. For these purposes, we are upgrading approaches regarding the joint use of the [two countries’] armed forces," Belousov said, commenting on NATO’s increased military presence near the borders of Russia and Belarus.

According to Russia’s defense chief, the two countries’ militaries regularly hold "combat coordination between formations and military units deployed to the regional group of forces."

"We give priority to joint practical actions based on the best practices of the special military operation," Russia’s defense chief said.

In September and earlier this month, the Center-2026 strategic command and staff exercises took place alongside the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s Interaction-2026, Search-2026 and Echelon-2026 drills, Belousov recalled, praising the active role played by the Belarusian side.