Review of military events in Belarus on January 13-19
Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
On January 13-19, 15 Russian drones of the Shahed type were detected in Belarus’ airspace. The destruction of the drones by the Belarusian Armed Forces was not reported.
On January 14-16, a joint staff training of the Joint Command of the regional group of troops was held in Minsk. The training was part of preparations for the West-2025 drills to be held in September 2025 in Belarus.
State tests of the Volat V2 armored personnel carrier prototype are being completed. It is planned to start serial production of the vehicle in the near future.
The number of citizens who evaded conscription for compulsory military service reached 1,300 in Hrodna region. Almost all of these conscripts are abroad.
International cooperation
On 17 January, it was reported that a delegation of the External Relations Department of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam was on a working visit to Minsk. During the visit, a meeting was held, during which the parties agreed on the list of activities of the Plan of bilateral military cooperation for 2025, discussed the algorithm of further work in the field of military education, clarified organizational issues of the upcoming high-level visits. The Vietnamese military also visited the Military Academy and the Aviation Academy.
On January 17, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus hosted an accreditation meeting between a representative of the Department of International Military Cooperation and Defense Attaché at the Thai Embassy in Russia Pongsorn Phetbuasak. The parties discussed opportunities to intensify cooperation in the military sphere and an algorithm for further interaction, taking into account areas of mutual interest.
Combat training
On January 13, internal affairs officers held exercises with the personnel of the 407th Artillery Group on the “order of use of weapons and special means.” The photos published from the exercises show grenade launchers, 12-caliber shotguns, traumatic pistols, light and noise grenades, etc. There is no doubt that the training of artillerymen in the use of “special means,” used to suppress protests, is connected with the “presidential election” to be held in Belarus on January 26. It is possible that similar trainings are held in other units of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
On January 13-24, a tactical medicine training course for officers and teachers of the Military Academy will be held at the Military Medical Institute. Upon completion of the course, the trainees will receive training certificates and the right to conduct classes with cadets, as well as knowledge of first aid in extreme situations.
On January 14-16, a joint staff training of the Joint Command of the regional group of troops took place in Minsk. The topic of the training was “Decision-making on the use of the regional group of troops in the interests of ensuring the military security of the Union State.” During the training, representatives of the Belarusian Armed Forces and Russian Armed Forces worked out one of the options for the use of groupings of troops (forces) in the course of joint actions at stationary control points. The training was part of preparations for the West-2025 joint strategic drills to be held in September 2025 in Belarus.
On January 14-16, a tactical training session with battalion (divizion) commanders and their deputies was held in Hrodna garrison. The purpose of the training session was “to improve the professional and position skills of officers, to identify priority areas of activity of battalion and divizion commanders in improving the effectiveness of combat training in modern conditions.”
As part of the training session, tactical, firearms and engineering training was demonstrated at the Hozhski training ground. The participants analyzed modern military conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and studied new methods of combat and the use of weapons. Particular attention was paid to methods of training personnel to counter UAVs and to organize ambush and counter-ambush operations. The actions of small tactical groups in the woods and when storming buildings (trenches), setting up and overcoming mine and explosive barriers were reviewed.
The personnel of the 2nd divizion of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment are conducting field drills at the Hozhski training ground. As part of the field drills, tactical training exercises were held to practice mine detection procedures, organization and conduct of reconnaissance, evacuation of the wounded, etc.
On January 16, exercises on professional and duty training with commanders of military units were held in the 8th Radio-Technical Brigade. The admission of servicemen to combat duty tasks, organization and conduct of combat work at the command post were considered. The Bulat V4 UAV detection system was also studied. In addition, tactical medicine issues were practiced during the training.
On January 17, soldiers of the 11th Mechanized Brigade underwent training on the use of UAVs. The servicemen “were given the best practices in the use of UAVs of various types and further implementation during combat training.” Methods of countering drones were also considered.
Flights of Russian UAVs into Belarus
On January 14, one Russian UAV of the Shahed type from the territory of Ukraine was detected in Belarus’ airspace. Its fate remains unknown. The Belarusian Air Force was not involved in the interception of the UAV.
On January 16, one Russian UAV of the Shahed type from the territory of Ukraine was detected in Belarus airspace. The drone subsequently returned to the territory of Ukraine. The Belarusian Air Force was not involved in the interception of the UAV.
On January 18, one Russian UAV of the Shahed type from the territory of Ukraine was detected in Belarus airspace. The drone subsequently returned to the territory of Ukraine. The Belarusian Air Force was not involved in the interception of the UAV.
On January 19, 12 Russian UAVs of the Shahed type from the territory of Ukraine were detected in Belarus’ airspace. 4 drones subsequently returned to the territory of Ukraine, while the fate of the rest remains unknown. The Belarusian Air Force was not involved in the interception of the UAVs.
In total, about 15 Russian UAVs of the Shahed type flew into Belarus on January 13-19.
Rearmament. Work of the military-industrial complex
On January 13, the State Authority for Military Industry reported the completion of the next stage of testing of the Klyon short-range reconnaissance radar station (radar) developed by ALEVKURP. This radar is capable of detecting moving ground objects (people and equipment), as well as aerodynamic targets flying at low and extremely low altitudes at speeds up to 140 m/s. The capabilities of the Klyon to detect air targets were tested during scheduled flights of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces in difficult air conditions. The test results confirmed that the prototype radars effectively detect, recognize and escort low-altitude airborne objects.
On January 18, it was reported that instructors from the 5th Special Forces Brigade conducted scheduled flights on a new type of aircraft – the Yastreb gyroplane.
On January 13, it became known about the completion of state tests of the prototype of the Volat V2 armored personnel carrier, developed by Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant under the order of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus. The vehicle is equipped with a combat module, developed by the Design Bureau ‘Display’. The tests confirmed the compliance of the Volat V2 with the declared tactical and technical characteristics. It is planned to start serial production of the armored personnel carrier in the near future.
The State Authority for Military Industry is working on the development of short-range SAM systems. This was reported by the head of the department, Dzmitry Pantus, in an interview with state media. The official noted that the creation of the Buk-MB2 medium-range SAM system with a Belarusian-made missile was completed in 2024. Based on the experience gained, the work is underway “to create a short-range [SAM] system, which will be based on the unified solutions, which we got in terms of creating a medium-range system (Buk-MB2).”
Development of military infrastructure
On January 17, the media reported the appearance of new fortifications 6 kilometers from the border with Lithuania. The complex includes a 340-meter-long ditch and trenches. The facilities are located near the Hozhski training ground, on both sides of the R42 road leading to the border. Construction appears to be ongoing, with preparations beginning in 2022-2023.
Military Commissariats. Territorial defense
At the end of December, military commissar of Vitsiebsk region Dzmitry Valfovich announced that in 2025, an inspection will be held in one of the districts of the region, in the framework of which units of the territorial troops will be formed. At the final stage, command-staff drills are planned to be held with these units. Commenting on the creation of national home guard detachments, Valfovich noted the active participation of women. For example, four women voluntarily joined one of such units in Vitsiebsk district.
On January 15, the military commissariat of Hrodna city and Hrodna district held a mobile trial on a criminal case of evasion of conscription (part 1 of article 435 of the Criminal Code of Belarus). The court found the conscript guilty and sentenced him to 1.6 years of confinement in an open-type correctional institution.
A training session with conscripts of the territorial troops continued in Homiel district. After passing the theoretical program, the conscripts started combat training exercises. Under the guidance of experienced instructors and officers of military commissariats, the reservists fired from various positions, threw training grenades, honed their skills in tactics, engineering training and tactical medicine. The exercises were reportedly based on the experience of the war in Ukraine.
The number of citizens who evaded conscription for compulsory military service reached 1,300 in Hrodna region. Almost all of these conscripts are abroad. The number of “evaders” is comparable to the number of those drafted for service in one conscription. For example, in spring 2024, about 1,000 people from Hrodna region were drafted for compulsory service, while in the fall of the same year – 1,300. It turns out that it is possible to staff the whole conscription solely with “evaders.” Military commissariats actively cooperate with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Border Guard Service to search for citizens who evaded conscription.
Internal Troops
On January 12, regular exercises were held with combat groups of the Chest’ “volunteer” special forces detachment. Under the guidance of instructors with combat experience (former mercenaries of PMC Wagner), the “volunteers” improved their skills in firearms and engineering training.
On January 16, it was reported that a joint training was held in the 11th Separate Special Battalion (military unit 7434) between the fighters of the Tsiklon special forces detachment and servicemen of the group of special means application. During the training, the servicemen practiced tactics in the performance of various service and combat tasks, as well as shooting from a carbine and throwing various types of grenades.
Amendments to legislation
On January 15, decree No. 27 “On the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora” was signed. The document provides for the expansion of the inspectorate’s participation in ensuring the national security of Belarus. Its officials were given the right to check citizens and their belongings at the entrances to the protected objects of the inspectorate, as well as to seize prohibited items. The drivers of the inspectorate vehicles were authorized to use weapons, physical force and special means “to suppress unlawful acts. Also, in order to increase the efficiency, the inspectorate’s units “are equipped with modern technical means.”
On January 15, decree No. 29 was signed. According to the document, “in order to improve state regulation in the field of mobilization and preparation for it in the Republic of Belarus,” the Ministry of Economy of Belarus became the authorized state body for mobilization preparation of the economy.
Other
On January 16, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aliaksandr Valfovich said in an interview to state media that “active training of militants for the so-called ‘Belarusian liberation army’ is being carried out in Poland and Ukraine.” The possibility of “involving extremist formations” in an armed operation to seize one or several border areas of Belarus, declare this territory “free” and introduce “some kind of ‘peacekeeping’ contingent” there by Western countries is being considered.