Putin asks State Duma to allow use of air defense on the border of Belarus and Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a draft federal law to the State Duma that would allow for the use of air defense on the border of Belarus. The corresponding bill has been posted on the website of the State Duma.
It is noted that Putin has asked the State Duma to ratify the protocol "on introducing amendments and additions to the Agreement Between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on Joint Protection of the External Border of the Union State in Airspace and the Creation of the Unified Regional Air Defense System of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, of February 3, 2009".
The protocol was signed on November 2, 2016 in Minsk.
"Its provisions clarify the conceptual apparatus of the Agreement, as well as make changes concerning the organizational and staff structure of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the procedure for the use of weapons and military equipment by air defense duty officers in the joint performance of alert duty tasks," the website said.
It is also noted that the implementation of the document will contribute to the strengthening of security.
"The implementation of the Protocol will improve the security of the external border of the Union State in the airspace, will contribute to strengthening the security of the two states, and will not require additional appropriations from the federal budget," the report says.