 Belarusian pilots are preparing for war with NATO. Russia has been training the crew of Belarusian combat aircraft, which have been converted to use special ammunition for the symmetrical response to NATO's activities. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galusan told. During Russian President Vladimir Putin's working visit to Minsk on December 19, a decision was made to provide training for the crews of combat aircraft converted for the possible use of ammunition with a special warhead, Galusan said. The official added that the US, with its NATO allies, have been undertaking similar activities for decades. This particular case is also about a symmetrical response for Russia and Belarus to unfriendly steps of the alliance member states, Galusan emphasized. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko decided on a wide variety of military and economic issues during Putin's first trip to Belarus in more than three years. The official Belarusian BELTA news agency reported that the agreement between the two countries also includes training Belarusian pilots to fly combat jets with special warheads. Belarus and Russia have come to terms on training crews for Belarusian army aircraft, which have already been refitted to carry and possibly use air-launched ammunition with special warheads. BELTA learned from President of Russia Vladimir Putin after the Russian leaders' negotiations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. Vladimir Putin said that the leaders of Belarus and Russia had discussed the formation of the common defense space and provision of security, including cooperation within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Belarus will preside over the organization as from 2023. Vladimir Putin remarked that joint military plans are being made within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, and the regional military task force is operational. At present, Belarusian and Russian army units are going through combat shakedown training in Belarus' territory. A joint air defense system has been created and functions. According to the President, the sides agreed to continue jointly taking all the necessary measures to ensure proper security, agreed to pay priority attention to training the troops, to improving the combat readiness, agreed to continue the practice of regular joint military exercises and mutual shipment of weapons. Vladimir Putin also said an agreement had been reached to continue the realization of Belarus' proposal on training crews for Belarusian Air Force aircraft, which had already been refitted for carrying air-launched ammunition with special warheads. In his words, this form of cooperation was not invented by Belarus or Russia. Other countries and blocs practiced it too. Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the relevant agreements. In his words, the training of Air Force pilots is in progress.