Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
During the week, ≈ 23 Russian drones of the Shahed type flew into Belarus. The destruction of the drones by the Belarusian Armed Forces units was not reported.
The 48th Separate EW Battalion received two R-934UM2 Groza-6 automated jamming stations. It was also reported that in 2024, 15 new wearable EW weapons were developed and put into service.
A training session with “volunteer” units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is scheduled for January 2025. The training session will be held on the eve of the presidential “election.”
The Ministry of Defense of Belarus plans to purchase a batch of 24 fuel tankers for the Belarusian Armed Forces. It is planned to spend about $2,864,732 from the budget for the purchase.
International cooperation
On December 16, it was reported that the Belarusian delegation headed by Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin arrived on an official visit to Vietnam. During the visit, the head of the military agency held a number of bilateral meetings and also took part in VIETNAM DEFENCE EXPO 2024 exhibition, which was held on December 19-22.
On December 17, the Minister of Defense of Belarus met with his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Ziang. The heads of the defense ministries discussed the current state of interaction and summarized the results of their work in 2024. The two parties confirmed their mutual interest in expanding and deepening contacts. It was reported that the Vietnamese Defense Minister expressed his intention to visit Belarus in May 2025. Following the meeting, the parties signed a protocol that confirms the intentions of Belarus and Vietnam to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Viktar Khrenin also held a meeting with Vietnamese President Luong Kyong. And Leanid Kasinski, the head of the Main Directorate of Ideological Work of the Ministry of Defense, met with Chin Van Quyet, the head of the Main Political Directorate of the Vietnamese Army.
On December 21, it was reported that Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces Pavel Muraveika met with Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan Sultan Kamaletdinov. The parties discussed the current state of bilateral military cooperation and outlined ways to intensify it in areas of mutual interest. It was also reported that the Kazakh delegation visited military units of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
Combat training
On December 14-15, two-day courses on tactical medicine were held near Maladzechna, conducted by instructors from the TAKMED Special Forces Center (Russia). During the course, “practical skills necessary for a modern special forces soldier both on the battlefield and in various combat zones” were sharpened. Several representatives of the 22nd Separate Special Forces Company attended the course. After the training, the servicemen received certificates.
Firing and tactical training is being conducted with mechanized units of the 11th Mechanized Brigade. During the training, the servicemen practiced standardized exercises both in single and small groups. The exercises are held on the basis of the “resistance node” of the Kobryn Fortified Area in Zhabinka district.
On December 17, as part of combat training exercises, servicemen of the 15th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade “worked on control targets” using Tor-M2K SAM system.
On December 18-19, a training session on demining was held at the anti-mine center of the Armed Forces. Commanders of mobile demining teams took part in the training session. The participants were shown a practical episode of searching for and destroying explosive objects in various conditions, the procedure for demining UAVs, as well as weapons, equipment and gear in service with the Engineering Troops.
Flights of Russian drones into Belarus
On December 17, one Russian UAV of the Shahed type flew into the airspace of Belarus from Ukraine. A fighter of the Belarusian Air Force was used to intercept the drone. There is no information about the further fate of the UAV.
On December 18 and 19, three Russian UAVs of the Shahed type flew into the airspace of Belarus from Ukraine. The Belarusian Air Force was not used to intercept the drones. There is no information about the further fate of the UAVs.
On December 20, one Russian UAV of the Shahed type flew into the airspace of Belarus from Ukraine. A fighter of the Belarusian Air Force was used to intercept the drone. There is no information about the further fate of the UAV.
On December 20 and 21, five Russian UAVs of the Shahed type flew into the airspace of Belarus from Ukraine. A fighter of the Belarusian Air Force was used to intercept the drones. There is no information about the further fate of the UAVs.
On December 22, 13 Russian UAVs of the Shahed type flew into the airspace of Belarus from Ukraine and Russia. A fighter of the Belarusian Air Force was used to intercept the drones. There is no information about the fate of the UAVs.
In total, about 23 Russian UAVs of the Shahed type flew into Belarus on December 16-22.
Rearmament. Work of the military-industrial complex
On December 16, the 48th Separate Battalion of Electronic Warfare (military unit 97061, Brest) held a “ceremony of handing over the next batch of new equipment.” Judging by the published photos, the battalion could have received at least two R-934UM2 Groza-6 automated jamming stations. Back in late November, the State Authority for Military Industry delivered two R-934UM2 jamming stations to the Belarusian Armed Forces. And “in the near future” the Belarusian Armed Forces were to receive two more Groza-6 stations. Thus, on December 16, the 48th Battalion of the Belarusian Armed Forces could hold: 1) a ceremony of handing over the R-934UM2 stations, delivered to the Belarusian Armed Forces in late November, to the crews; 2) a ceremony of handing over a new batch of R-934UM2 stations to the crews, which the State Authority for Military Industry promised to deliver “in the near future”.
On December 16, it became known that the Defense Ministry of Belarus plans to purchase a batch of fuel tankers (ATZ) for the Belarusian Armed Forces. The military will receive the following equipment: 1) ATZ-6 – 21 pcs.; 2) ATZ-12 – 3 pcs. The numbers “6” and “12” in the name mean the volume of petroleum products (meters of cubic meters) that can be transported by the fuel tanker. The budget plans to spend BYN 9,928,589.58 (≈ $2,864,732) for the purchase of 24 fuel tankers. The last publicly reported procurement of fuel tankers for the army took place in 2022. Currently, the fleet of fuel tankers of the Belarusian Armed Forces is mainly represented by Soviet-made vehicles.
At the end of November, the state media released a story about “novelties of domestic armament.” It became known that the 927th center for training and use of UAVs (military unit 97085) received the Berkut-3 reconnaissance drone of Belarusian production. Back in April, it was reported about the Defense Ministry’s plans to buy 10 sets of the Berkut-3 drones. However, in May, the ministry began the procurement procedure for only one Berkut-3. It is likely that the first (and so far the only one in the Belarusian Armed Forces) Berkut-3, purchased by the Defense Ministry in the summer of 2024, was demonstrated in the story of state media. It can be expected that after its adoption by the 927th center, the purchase and delivery of the drones to the Belarusian Armed Forces will continue.
In 2024, 15 new wearable EW products were developed and adopted for use by the army – “for the average soldier in a trench to detect and suppress UAVs.” The said items are being supplied to the troops. This was reported by the head of the electronic warfare department of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces in an interview with VoyenTV. According to the official, “The forces and means of electronic warfare are deployed along the southern borders of our state border, which as part of a group of troops perform tasks in the 24/7 mode to conduct radio monitoring of the radio frequency range.” The military are carrying out tasks to prevent provocations involving UAVs.
The delegation of the State Authority for Military Industry headed by Chairman Dzmitry Pantus took part in the International Exhibition of Armaments and Technologies VIETNAM DEFENCE EXPO 2024, which was held on December 19-22 in Hanoi.
On the eve of the exhibition opening, specialists of OJSC AGAT Control Systems took part in a scientific and practical seminar held at the Military Technical Academy of the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam. The participants were presented with materials on the latest and promising developments of the company, including automated control systems for the Army, Air Force, Air Defense Forces and other innovative projects.
On December 19, Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry on the margins of VIETNAM DEFENCE EXPO 2024 held a meeting with Indian Deputy Defense Minister for Defense Industry Sajeev Kumar. During the negotiations, the parties updated the plan for the development of military-technical cooperation between the countries, as well as discussed a list of promising areas in the military-technical sphere. Pantus also held meetings with the defense minister of Laos and representatives of the defense ministries of Iran and Indonesia.
Infrastructure development
On December 19, the 19th Mechanized Brigade opened a classroom for training operators of the Igla MANPADS and the Republican Unitary Enterprise “Scientific Production Center of Multifunctional Unmanned Systems.” The new Igla MANPADS simulator is a highly realistic equipment that will significantly improve the level of combat training of servicemen mastering this type of weapon.
Military Commissariats. Territorial defense
On December 16, it was reported that the faculty of the General Staff of the Armed Forces was holding advanced training courses “Fundamentals of military security and territorial defense” with chairmen of district (city) executive committees. Within the framework of the course, Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces Pavel Muraveika held classes and familiarized the officials “with the main trends of the military and political situation around Belarus.” In turn, head of the territorial defense department of the General Staff “brought the role of territorial defense in the system of ensuring military security of Belarus.” It was noted that the training sessions were aimed at improving the level of preparation and coordination of the territorial defense management bodies for the formation of territorial troops.
On December 16-18, a three-day sniper training session for hunters was held on the basis of the Valoushchyna training center of the Internal Troops. During the training session, more than 15 representatives of the Belarusian Hunters and Fishermen Society aged from 20 to 72 under the guidance of instructors of the Special Rapid Reaction Squad and the Almaz anti-terrorism unit studied the “subtleties of Mosin rifle.” The main emphasis was on practice with daily shooting in various tactical situations, including in conditions of limited visibility. Participants in the training session also learned the basics of military topography, practiced first aid and camouflage.
Internal Troops
On December 15, exercises with the Chest’ special forces detachment were held on the basis of the 2nd Militia Brigade (military unit 3310). Under the guidance of an instructor with combat experience (former mercenary of PMC Wagner), exercises were held on the topic “Fundamentals of the commander’s work in preparation for and during the battle”. During the classes the general algorithm of work of the commander of the unit on the organization of the implementation of the combat task at various stages was considered. There were also classes on sapper-engineering training, during which reserve servicemen continued to master regular and non-staff explosive devices, methods of their detection and neutralization. And on the basis of the Dinamo sports society, another training session was held with the UAV group of the Chest’ detachment. During the training, the group continued to study the principles of operation and design of UAVs, as well as improved their FPV drone control skills.
Starting from January 21, 2025, it is planned to hold a regular training session with “volunteer” units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. These units consist of employees and reserve soldiers who previously served in special units of Internal Troops and internal affairs bodies. The start time of the training session is notable – January 21 (Tuesday). After all, the so-called “presidential election” is to be held in Belarus on January 26 (Sunday). Probably, it was decided to mobilize all available reserves to help the law enforcers in the “election.”
On December 22, it was reported that servicemen of special forces detachments of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “continue to ensure the security of the sacred borders of the Fatherland.” It was reported that the servicemen were carrying out tasks to protect the state border of Belarus.
Other
On December 19, Viktar Tumara, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for scientific work, spoke about developments in the field of artificial intelligence. According to the official, “We are working very closely in the field of development of unmanned aerial vehicles in counter-battery warfare. We are also working in the field of neural network technologies, that is, the development of artificial intelligence, its implementation directly into weapons and equipment samples. We are working in the field of creating special software.”
