Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
On January 23, decisions on the defense of the state border by the border guard bodies and in the airspace in 2024 were approved. These documents are approved annually.
A number of combat training activities were reported. These included an inspection of the mechanized battalions of the 11th and 19th Mechanized Brigades and a joint staff training under the leadership of the Chief of the General Staff. Training of the Internal Troops by PMC Wagner mercenaries continues.
It was reported that new snowmobiles made in Russia and simulators for training UAV operators would be delivered to the troops. The delivery of new fighters to the troops was also announced.
Combat training
On January 21, drills with anti-aircraft missile troops, radio-technical troops and aviation units began under the leadership of the commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces. The units marched to the assigned areas and began to fulfil their tasks.
On January 23-26, a joint staff training was held at the command posts of the Belarusian Armed Forces under the leadership of the Chief of the General Staff. During the training, the issues of planning the use of troops in accordance with the training situation, which was developed taking into account the forecast of the situation development on the European continent, were practiced. Representatives of military commissariats of Minsk region, the Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations bodies, and the Internal Troops took part in the training.
On January 23, the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 19th Mechanized Brigade was put on alert for combat training tasks. It was reported that the servicemen marched many kilometers to the assigned area for drills.
Training of snipers of reconnaissance and special purpose units of the Western Operational Command continued at the 103rd Airborne Brigade. During the week, the servicemen underwent control training in firearms, physical training, and military topography. The focus is on learning how to hit a target from the first shot at a long and medium distance.
A control training was held with the personnel of the 22nd Separate Special Purpose Company. During the training, the personnel completed tests in the disciplines of combat training. At the end of the training, the personnel marched 5 kilometers in full gear, simulating the retreat from enemy’s pursuit.
Training of military instructors of the Belarusian Armed Forces continues at the 333rd Combat Training Center of the Western Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. The instructors are studying and improving their combat skills using the modern training and material base of the center.
A training on engineering equipping of positions was held with the tank battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade, where they learned how to equip a trench for a tank with explosives.
Servicemen of the 223rd Aviation Medicine Center of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces conducted survival training for pilots. The servicemen practiced actions after ejection or forced abandonment of an aircraft with a rescue parachute, as well as issues of tactical medicine.
Field drills continue in the 350th Artillery Group. During the control exercise, servicemen fulfilled firing tasks with the Gvozdika and Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems from closed firing positions. UAVs were used for target reconnaissance and fire correction.
On January 24, an artillery fire control training was held with commanders of motorized rifle, tank and reconnaissance companies of the 11th Mechanized Brigade. During the training, servicemen gained practical skills in conducting reconnaissance, target designation and adjusting artillery fire and the crews of the AGS-17 grenade launcher using UAVs.
Tactical drills with the rocket artillery battery of the 51st Artillery Brigade were held at the Asipovichski training ground. The servicemen fulfilled air reconnaissance and firing adjustment tasks in difficult weather conditions, both day and night, using modern reconnaissance, communications and control equipment.
On January 25, the mechanized battalion of the 11th Mechanized Brigade was put on alert by order of the Commander of the Western Operational Command to perform its assigned tasks with peacetime staff. After the readiness review, the battalion marched to a training ground.
On January 25, artillery fire control training was held with battalion commanders of the 6th Mechanized Brigade. The servicemen fulfilled firing tasks, conducting reconnaissance and adjusting fire with the use of UAVs.
A training session to train reconnaissance observers of visual observation posts in the specialty “anti-aircraft gunner of the Igla portable anti-aircraft missile system” was completed at the 174th training ground of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces. Servicemen from the 8th and 49th Radio-Technical Brigades completed the training.
During the week, combat trainings were conducted with the mechanized battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade. During the trainings, they practiced trench combat, evacuation of the wounded, storming and defending buildings.
On January 25, a training to deploy a mobile command post of the 147th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment was conducted.
Military commissariats and territorial defense
During the week, trainings were reported on the organization of notification, collection and delivery of mobilization resources, military registration and reservation of persons liable for military service in organizations and village executive committees, as well as on the performance of military transport duties.
On January 23-24, military commissariats of Minsk city sent at least 23 persons liable for military service to a training session. On January 24, military commissariats of Brest region sent at least 17 persons liable for military service to a training session.
On January 26, trainings with reserve officers assigned to territorial troops were held at military commissariats of Brest region. The reservists got acquainted with the requirements of the guideline documents and their duties.
Internal Troops
On January 22-23, a two-day training session with grenade launcher operators and their assistants serving in special purpose units was conducted in the Internal Troops.
On January 23, the annual training session with the senior staff of the Internal Troops was conducted at the military unit 3310. Control and test exercises on the main disciplines were held with the commanders of the units. After that, soldiers of special purpose units of the Minsk garrison held a demonstration training on the suppression of riots in a settlement.
PMC Wagner mercenaries continue to conduct a course of tactical and specialized training for servicemen of the Internal Troops. During the engineering training, the mercenaries told the soldiers about tactical and technical characteristics, principles of action, methods of detection of anti-personnel, anti-tank mines, grenades, as well as explosives and means of detonation. At the military medical training, the servicemen studied the composition of first aid kits and supplies. They also studied the procedure for evacuating the wounded.
Military equipment
To increase the mobility and survivability of logistics units, material support battalions of mechanized brigades received the PPM(K)-4 container-type mobile laundry modules.
Western Operational Command units received the TAYGA PATRUL 551 SWT snowmobiles made in Russia. The vehicles were transferred to the 22nd Separate Special Purpose Company and the reconnaissance battalion of the 11th Mechanized Brigade. It was noted that the snowmobiles would expand the capabilities of the units in winter.
UAV aviation detachments of the 6th and 11th Mechanized Brigades received new simulators to conduct training with multi-rotor UAV operators (including FPV drones).
Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Belarus Leanid Davidovich told about the modernization of the fighter aircraft fleet. According to the official, “In the foreseeable future, we will finish updating the fleet of our fighter aircraft, because the MiG-29 aircraft is approaching the point when [its] resource will be exhausted.” Earlier it was reported that the Belarusian Air Force would receive a new batch of Russian Su-30SM fighters in 2023, but the delivery never took place.
Amendments to legislation
On January 23, decisions on the defense of the state border by border guard bodies and in the airspace in 2024 were approved. It was noted that in 2024, the construction of new border infrastructure facilities would continue, as well as the arming of maneuvering groups with modern equipment. These documents are approved annually.
Other
A Belarusian military delegation took part in the UMEX-2024 and SimTEX-2024 international UAV exhibitions, which were held in Abu Dhabi on January 22-25. The members of the delegation got acquainted with the latest equipment and advanced solutions in the field of unmanned aviation, and also took part in the conference on the development of unmanned systems in the defense sector. In addition, the Belarusian Belspetsvneshtekhnika and JSC KB Radar take part in UMEX-2024 as exhibitors this year.
On January 23, the head of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces said that units of the Special Operations Forces “are fulfilling tasks in the southern operational direction.” We note that units of the Belarusian Armed Forces have been guarding the Russian military and the border with Ukraine since March 2022.
On January 23, the Ukrainian media spread photos of documents of an allegedly active serviceman of the Belarusian Armed Forces who was killed near Krynki village, Kherson region, and had fought in the Russian Armed Forces. In reality, the Belarusian hadn’t served in the Belarusian Armed Forces since 2004 and was a reserve officer.
On January 26, a clinical conference was held at the 1134th Military Clinical Medical Center. The participants got acquainted with modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases relevant for the military. Problematic issues of medical support of troops were discussed and ways to solve them were developed.
In January-February, decisions of local councils of deputies on the approval of budgets for 2024 are published. The budgets of Homiel and Vitsiebsk regions, as well as Minsk city for 2024 include increased expenditures on national defense.
