Review of military events in Belarus on June 10-16
Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
Units of the Belarusian Armed Forces took part in the second stage of drills with Russia’s non-strategic nuclear forces. The drills involved crews of Su-25 attack aircraft and Iskander-M systems, as well as units of the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry.
On June 10-13, the anti-terrorist drills “Storm-Antiterror-2024” were conducted in Brest region. During the drills, they practiced interdepartmental cooperation during a counter-terrorist operation.
A training to inspect the wartime resource support of emergency units by the local authorities was held in Lida district. The battalion tactical group of the 6th Mechanized Brigade was brought to readiness to perform its assigned tasks.
Drills with tactical nuclear weapons
On June 10, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that in accordance with the decision of Lukashenka and Putin, units of the Belarusian Armed Forces were taking part in the second stage of drills with non-strategic nuclear forces. In his commentary, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin said, “Today we are acting proactively, increasing readiness for the use of so-called retaliatory weapons in a planned manner. As never before, we are determined to respond to any threats posed both to our country and the Union State.”
On June 12, Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces Pavel Muraveika said that as part of the drills, the crews of Iskander-M missile systems moved to the assigned position areas. According to Muraveika, the crews “received special munitions and assigned them to combat units,” after which they took up launch positions and went on combat duty at assigned targets. In other words, during the drills, they used non-training munitions.
However, this information was denied by the Russian Defense Ministry the next day. On June 13, Igor Kolesnikov, the chief of the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry, said that during the drills, the directorate’s mobile formations ensured “the delivery of training nuclear munitions to the field storage facilities of the missile brigade’s positioning area and the assault aviation’s operational airfield.”
Su-25 attack aircraft also took part in the drills. It was noted that until the last moment, the commanders of the aviation units didn’t know who exactly would be practicing combat training tasks and from which airfield the aircraft would operate. All actions during the drills were practiced jointly with the Russian military. In total, two Su-25 attack aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force, one Su-30SM fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces, as well as the crew of the Iskander-M missile system could be involved in the drills. The tasks were practiced at the Damanava and Obuz-Liasnouski training grounds.
Combat training
On June 10-13, interdepartmental anti-terrorist drills “Storm-Antiterror-2024” were held on the territory of Brest region. The drills involved units of the KGB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (including the Internal Troops), the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Belarusian Armed Forces, the Border Guard Service, the Presidential Security Service, the Investigative Committee, and the Forensic Committee. Health care organizations, prosecutor’s offices, local authorities, etc. were also involved.
The main objectives of the drills were to ensure the readiness of state bodies to respond to acts of terrorism, activities of terrorist organizations and illegal armed formations. During the drills, the organization and tactics of actions of state bodies to suppress the activities of illegal armed formations in Brest region were practiced. Particular attention was paid to the organization of interdepartmental cooperation during the counter-terrorist operation.
The drills were conducted in two stages. At the first stage, the drills took place in Biaroza, Ivatsevichy, Baranavichy and Liakhavichy districts. The second stage was conducted in Ivatsevichy district. SMS alerts were sent to residents of the districts where the drills were held.
On June 11, the battalion tactical group of the 6th Mechanized Brigade was brought to readiness to perform its assigned tasks as part of the combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian Armed Forces. The 78th Separate Mechanized Battalion, as well as attached units (tank, artillery, etc.) formed the basis of the battalion tactical group. During the inspection, the personnel with standard weapons moved to the Hozhski training ground to work out the issues of covering the state border, performed engineering equipment of firing lines, positions and strongholds. A combat training with practice of special combat and defensive operations to cover the main road directions, training of personnel to move to pre-prepared firing lines were conducted with the units. On June 14, the inspection was reported to have been completed.
Additional training of drivers from among the new recruits was completed in the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade. The final stage was a 50-kilometer march. During the march, practical exercises were conducted on repelling an attack on the convoy, guarding the camp area, evacuating (towing) equipment and medical training.
Individual training continued to be improved in the 38th Air Assault Brigade under the guidance of experienced instructors. The training focused on maximizing the serviceman’s autonomy in combat conditions.
On June 16-21, a joint training session of engineering units of the Armed Forces of the CIS member states will be held at the Anti-Mine Center of the Belarusian Armed Forces. During the training session, comprehensive tactical specialty exercises on the procedure for performing tasks by the Joint Humanitarian Demining Engineering Unit of the Armed Forces of the CIS member states will be held.
International cooperation
On June 9-15, students of the National Defense University of Zimbabwe visited Belarus on a study tour. The study group included representatives of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa. The official part of the visit began with a briefing on the Belarusian Armed Forces, international military cooperation and foreign policy of Belarus. Within the framework of the visit, the university administration and students got acquainted with the Belarusian Armed Forces, legislative system and industrial potential of the country. The visit made it possible, among other things, to determine the directions and prospects for further intensification of Belarusian-Zimbabwean military cooperation.
Representatives of Serbia visited the 38th Air Assault Brigade for an assessment within the framework of the Vienna Document 2011 on confidence- and security-building measures. During the visit, the consistency of the information on the brigade provided annually by Belarus with the current status and activities of the unit was verified. A report on the results of the verification will be sent to all OSCE participating states. This is the first verification event on the territory of Belarus in the last four years.
On June 11-13, a working meeting of the leadership of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Belarus with representatives of the Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army of China was held in Beijing. At the meeting, the parties discussed the issues of bilateral military cooperation and determined ways of its further development. The Belarusian military delegation also visited military infrastructure facilities and enterprises of China’s military-industrial complex.
On June 12-14, the second headquarters negotiations on the organization and conduct of the CSTO drills “Interaction-2024”, “Search-2024”, and “Echelon-2024” were held in Kyrgyzstan. Representatives of Belarus also took part in the negotiations. The drills will be held in fall 2024 on the territory of the Edelweiss training center of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces.
Military commissariats and territorial defense
On June 11, a military training session with conscripts began at the 11th Mechanized Brigade. At least 10 reservists were drafted to the training session.
A training session with reserve officers is being held in the 36th Road and Bridge Brigade. At least 25 reservists were drafted to the training session.
On June 13, a military training session was completed in the 74th Signal Regiment. A total of about 36 reservists took part in them.
On June 14, a military training session with conscripts, which was held on the basis of the 110th Material Support Regiment, was completed. At least 16 reservists were drafted.
On June 14, the 16th Separate Regiment of Electronic Warfare completed a training session for reserve officers. In total, at least 3 people were drafted.
On June 13-14, training sessions for commanders of national home guard detachments were held in Slavharad and Chavusy (Mahiliou region).
Scheduled exercises with reserve officers assigned to territorial troops were held in Zhabinka and Kobryn (Brest region). They studied the issues of guarding and defense of territorial defense facilities. Particular attention was paid to the procedure of performing tasks jointly with the units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
On June 14, a study of reserve officers who graduated from military faculties (departments) and are subject to military service in 2024 was held on the basis of the military commissariat of Homiel.
Internal Troops
On June 13, a training and methodological session with conscripts of engineering units of the Internal Troops was completed. For 10 days the reserve servicemen underwent comprehensive combat training at the Valoushchyna training center and on the basis of the 2nd Militia Brigade. They studied countering drones and military medicine, performed tactical firing exercises, and practiced assaulting a trench. The reservists also trained in their narrow specialization – engineering equipment of trenches, positions, dugouts, shelters for personnel and equipment. A total of about 80 reservists took part in the training session.
Rearmament
JSC ALEVKURP will present its development at the exhibition “National Security. Belarus-2024” – the Klyon short-range reconnaissance radar station. The station is designed to detect, recognize, measure coordinates and follow moving ground, surface and low-flying targets, as well as to aim at the selected target with firearms.
Other
On June 13, another military cargo train with servicemen and equipment of the Russian Armed Forces arrived in Belarus to participate in the military parade to be held on July 3. The military cargo train included Msta-B howitzers, 2S12 Sani mortars, and other equipment. It was also reported that military personnel from Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China confirmed their participation in the parade.
On June 11-12, a training on testing the resource provision by local authorities of the Lida District Department of Emergency Situations during a special period (wartime) was held. The training was the fourth one held in different regions of Belarus. During the training, the issues of organizing the evacuation of the population, setting up a pontoon crossing were worked out, as well as the readiness of the emergency units to function in a special period was assessed. The participants of the training were also shown the organization of functioning of the collection center for temporarily evacuated residents.
It was noted that such trainings allow to work out the organization of receiving mobilization resources, to inspect the readiness of civilian formations of civil defense. The training allowed to work out interdepartmental interaction between the bodies and units of emergency situations with other organizations.