Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law granting Belarusian citizens permanently residing in Russia the right to vote and run in local elections.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is considered one of Putin's closest allies. The two leaders have strengthened their cooperation as both countries face isolation from the West due to Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the Kiev Independent.

Minsk already allows Russian citizens permanently residing in Belarus to vote and participate in local elections in the country.

Belarus and Russia signed a union treaty in 1999 aimed at deepening relations and bilateral integration.

The Belarusian authorities welcomed this step and called on Belarusian citizens to be given the right to participate in regional elections, Russian state media reported.

The two countries cooperate in various areas, including defense policy.

On July 23, Belarus signaled that it might reverse its earlier decision to move the Zapad 2025 military exercises to the interior of the country, citing escalating military activity by Poland and Lithuania near its borders.

Belarusian Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Muraveika said that Minsk had initially chosen to move the joint Russian-Belarusian exercises away from the western border to ease tensions, but that this decision could be reviewed.

"Given the difficult military and political situation and the fact that Belarus is constantly accused of aggressive intentions, we made a decision and moved the locations of the exercises away from the borders," Muravyka said.

"But our Western colleagues began to speculate on this process," he said. | BGNES