measures to protect our economic security and the technological sovereignty of Russia and Belarus" and "consider it necessary to strengthen integration in the union state". On 18 March, the Russian government announced that all restrictions on the movement of citizens between Russia and Belarus would be lifted. On 1 July 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the "unification" process has been accelerated to alleviate the economic damage of the sanctions. In October 2022, following the September 2022 mobilisation of reservists in Russia, a contingent of approximately 9,000 Russian soldiers arrived in Belarus. According to the Belarusian ministry of defence the purpose of this deployment was to create a "regional military grouping" of the Union State. In the same month it was announced that Russian air forces were patrolling the borders of the Union state in Belarus. See also Notes References External links Portal of the Union State Portal of the Union State 1999 establishments in Europe Belarus–Russia relations Commonwealth of Independent States Eurasia Eurasianism Post-Soviet alliances Proposed countries Trade blocs Organizations established in 1999