November 19, 2013 – 18:07 AMT

Russia intends to strengthen the unified air defense systems with Belarus and form ones with Armenia and Kazakhstan, RIA Novosti quoted the country’s leader as saying.

As Vladimir Putin noted, the cooperation will significantly increase Russia’s as well as its partners’ defense potential in contributing to peace and security in Eurasia.

The Russian leader welcomed West 2013 strategic exercises conducted jointly with Belarus in 2013, also noted that regional force groupings involving of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan will be formed in near future.