The State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, ratified the Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental agreement on mutual supply of military, dual-purpose and civil products in the event of a military aggression or a war, BelTA has learned.

The document signed in Moscow on 10 December is aimed at protecting national interests and ensuring coordinated mobilization of the two economies during wartime and in the event of a threat to the peaceful existence, and at counteracting possible aggression, including acts of international terrorism.

The parties agree to supply each other arms, military equipment and special technical equipment, components, materials and raw materials for their manufacture and repair. The agencies responsible for the implementation of the agreement are as follows: Defense Ministry and the State Military Industrial Committee (Belarus), the military-industrial commission under the government, Defense Ministry, Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (Russia).

In the course of the discussion, the member of the Communist Party faction Vladimir Fedotkin noted that “in contrast to the international rules Belarus does not charge any money from Russia for the two Russian military bases located on its territory, but here (in Russia –BelTA note) we have had other information.” He inquired “whether indeed Russia does not pay Belarus any money.” Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrei Denisov, who presented the agreement in the Duma, confirmed that “Russia indeed does not incur any additional costs regarding the maintenance and operation of these facilities. This is the element of the allied relations in our joint defense.