Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
Last week, combat training activities were reported. These included a training session in the Special Operations Forces, the Western Operational Command, as well as with diving units of the Engineering Troops. Joint training conducted by PMC Wagner mercenaries with units of the 6th Mechanized Brigade has also begun.
Combat readiness inspections continued. Inspections were conducted in the 11th Mechanized Brigade, 15th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, 30th Railway Brigade and 111th Artillery Brigade.
The formation of a maneuvering group was completed in the Mazyr border guard detachment. The Russian Krasukha-S4 system will enter service with the Electronic Warfare Troops in 2024.
Combat training
On January 8, the 202nd Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade went for joint training with PMC Wagner mercenaries. Trainings with the mercenaries are held at the Obuz-Liasnouski training ground. On January 11, a special tactical training was held with the battalion.
On January 8-9, a tactical training session of the Special Operations Forces with battalion (detachment) commanders and their deputies was held at the 5th Special Purpose Brigade. The purpose of the training was to improve knowledge and skills, to sharpen the skills necessary for officers to manage their subordinate units during combat operations. Special attention was paid to applying the experience of the war in Ukraine to the combat training process.
Personnel of the engineering units of the Western Operational Command arrived at the Anti-Mine Center of the Belarusian Armed Forces for a training session of mobile demining crews. The personnel were trained to study various types of engineering munitions and means of detecting explosive objects. During the training session, the personnel were taught how to work with explosive detection equipment.
On January 9-11, a training session for battalion (divizion) commanders and their deputies was held in the Western Operational Command. The purpose of the training session was to improve the effectiveness of combat training in the units, taking into account the experience of the war in Ukraine. According to the Western Operational Command’s commander, during the training, they focused on learning how to conduct combat operations in winter conditions. Particular attention was paid to solo training and the level of readiness of servicemen to conduct combat operations both autonomously and as part of small units.
During the training session, the issues of non-standard use of military equipment available to the Western Operational Command were considered. The participants were also shown the procedure for conducting a new form of training for artillerymen – a two-sided battery tactical drills in which the main role is given to counter-battery combat. During the training session, each officer also practiced his/her skills in UAV operation.
A training session with diving units of the engineering troops of the Belarusian Armed Forces was held in the 188th Engineering Brigade. The servicemen underwent diving training, test of readiness for descents and fulfilled tests in various types of equipment. At the end of the training session, the divers were tested for assignment and confirmation of class qualification. To confirm qualification, military divers must perform about 60 hours of diving each year. Servicemen of operational commands and the Special Operations Forces took part in the training session.
On January 10, scheduled combat training was held with one of the mechanized battalions at the training ground of the 11th Mechanized Brigade. The brigade’s servicemen were also trained in unit and fire control on a terrain mock-up and in equipping positions using engineering weapons (trench charges and engineering equipment).
On January 11, the 51st Artillery Brigade held a demonstrative topographic training with battery (platoon) commanders. The officers improved their skills in the use of orienteering devices and exchanged experience in the use of modern devices and software.
Training of snipers of the Western Operational Command on the basis of the 103rd Airborne Brigade continues. Personnel are trained in terrain orientation, camouflage of shooting positions, tactics of operations in a sniper pair and overcoming mine and explosive barriers. The experience of snipers of the Russian Armed Forces is used in the training.
On January 11, an inspection of the on-duty rapid reaction forces was conducted in the 11th Mechanized Brigade.
On January 11, the 30th Railway Brigade was subject to a sudden inspection. The Transport Support Department inspected the skills of deploying the personnel reception point and equipment reception point, as well as the military railway workers’ training of receiving them.
On January 11, combat training with mortar units of the 38th Air Assault Brigade was held at the Brestski training ground. The servicemen practiced orienteering and deployment on the terrain, camouflage and equipping combat positions, interaction with other units, medical training and counter-battery combat.
Soldiers of the 103rd Airborne Brigade were trained in special, firearms and tactical training. The personnel of the units practised their knowledge of the ZU-23-2 system, the Igla portable SAM system, the 2B23 Nona-M1 120-mm mortar, the D-30 122-mm howitzer and the Fagot portable anti-tank missile system.
On January 12, units of the 6th divizion of the 15th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade marched to the assigned area in accordance with the plan of the commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces to inspect the on-duty forces, set up a position and began to perform combat tasks. The divizion is armed with the S-400 SAM system.
On January 12, a sudden combat readiness inspection of units of the 111th Artillery Brigade was conducted.
Military commissariats. Territorial defense
During the week, trainings on the organization of notification, gathering and delivery of mobilization resources, on the maintenance of military registration and reservation of persons liable for military service in organizations, and on the procedure for performing military transport duties were reported.
On January 10, trainings on tactical medicine were held during the professional trainings with the heads of territorial defense groups of military commissariats of Minsk city.
On January 11, military ranks were awarded to persons liable for military service, who passed military training sessions in 2023, at the military commissariat of the Central district of Minsk.
On January 12, training with reserve officers assigned to the territorial troops was held in the military commissariats of Brest city and Brest district. The training was attended by representatives of the internal affairs bodies.
Internal Troops
On January 12, the results of the combat coordination of the Tornado special purpose detachment were summarized in the 2nd Militia Brigade of the Internal Troops (military unit 3310). The event was attended by mercenaries of PMC Wagner.
The results of activities in 2023 were summarized in military units of the Internal Troops.
Border guard agencies
The formation of a maneuvering group was completed in the Mazyr border guard detachment. The group is the main reserve of the border guard detachment, which is used at the border in case of escalation of the situation. The maneuvering group was armed with the Volat V1 armored vehicles. Judging by the published photos, the group is also armed with the 30-mm AGS-17 Plamya automatic grenade launchers. The establishment of maneuver groups was first announced in 2018. Earlier it was reported that a maneuver group of 300 people was formed in the Mazyr border guard detachment back in 2022. The group consists of three outposts, it has armored vehicles and mortar groups.
Amendments to legislation
According to the Resolution No.23 of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus of December 11, 2023, the Instruction on the procedure for issuing weapons and ammunition to national home guards and keeping their records was approved. According to the regulations of the instruction, executive committees must inform the Ministry of Defense of Belarus through military commissariats about the required number of weapons and ammunition for the national home guard.
Other
Media outlets, citing The Wall Street Journal, spread information that Russian tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) could be deployed at Lida airfield. At the same time, the article didn’t provide any new information about the deployment of TNWs in Belarus.
The media also spread information that there are allegedly more than 60 Russian combat aircraft and helicopters in Belarus. However, this number included aircraft and helicopters of the Belarusian Air Force.
In December 2023, two rail cars with small arms ammunition were delivered from Russia. The cargo was delivered to Halynets station (Mahiliou district), near which the 2783rd base of storage and utilization of armored equipment (military unit 63615) is located. In total, about 7 million cartridges (4-4.5 million of 7.62×39 mm caliber or 8.5-9 million pieces of 5.45×39 mm caliber) could have been delivered to Belarus.
On January 11, servicemen of electronic warfare (EW) units of the Western Operational Command went to Russia for training on the Krasukha-S4 EW system. It was noted that the Krasukha-S4 system will be delivered to the Belarusian troops in the second half of 2024. Most likely, the equipment will enter service with the 48th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion (military unit 97061) stationed in Brest.
Modernization of the 12.7 mm. NSVT tank machine guns is being conducted at the 815th Technical Support Center. The purpose of the modernization is to provide the tank crew with the ability to fire the machine gun outside the combat vehicle. The modernization includes the manufacture of an infantry machine gun with bipods.
