Presidents of Russia and Belarus discussed upcoming meeting of CSTO leaders

According to kremlin.ru, on May 3, 2022, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, had a telephone conversation to “consider some aspects of bilateral cooperation within the framework of Eurasian integration associations, including in the context of preparations for the upcoming meeting of the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States.”
They also discussed the situation in the context of the ongoing special military operation to protect Donbas.
In continuation of the Russia-Belarus talks held at the highest level on April 12, the leaders discussed certain issues on the bilateral agenda and promotion of union building. They reaffirmed their mutual resolve to further strengthen Russia-Belarus relations of partnership and alliance.
Meanwhile, according to the press service of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, the Armed Forces of Belarus started a surprise inspection of its response forces.
During the inspection, military units will exercise being put on alert, marching to designated areas and performing training and combat missions. The purpose of the inspection is to assess the readiness and ability of the personnel to respond promptly to possible crisis situations. The military units and subunits will be operating in unfamiliar terrain under rapidly changing conditions. The composition of the forces involved in the inspection will be increased in stages to test their ability to counter military threats both on the ground and in the air.
The inspection is comprehensive; close attention is paid to support systems, which should create an enabling environment for the troops. The exercise is one of the most effective forms of training for troops and poses no threat to the European community in general or to neighbouring countries in particular.