Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces paid an official visit to Cuba. Representatives of the Belarusian Armed Forces took part in the CSTO command-staff training.
On March 11, the Belarusian Armed Forces began a sudden combat readiness inspection. The inspection is a response to the Steadfast Defender 2024 and Dragon-24 drills conducted by NATO member states. The main role in the inspection is assigned to the 19th Mechanized Brigade. Units of the Western Operational Command are also involved in the inspection.
Other combat training events include field drills in artillery, engineer-sapper, anti-aircraft missile units, as well as drills with territorial defense.
A rotation of units of the Special Operations Forces of the Belarusian Armed Forces took place in Homiel district. A new border outpost appeared in the Mazyr border guard detachment.
International cooperation
On March 11, the Minister of Defense of Belarus had a working meeting with the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Belarus. During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of Belarusian-Emirati relations in the military sphere, as well as steps for their further development.
Representatives of the Belarusian Armed Forces took part in the CSTO command-staff training, which was conducted on March 12-13. During the training, issues related to stabilizing the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security under the growing threat of a crisis situation were worked out. Particular attention was paid to the formation of a collective peacekeeping force.
On March 15, a representative of the Department of International Military Cooperation had an accreditation meeting with a Kazakh military diplomat. During the meeting, issues of bilateral military cooperation were discussed. The parties confirmed their readiness to continue to actively promote the strengthening of friendly ties between the defense departments of the two countries.
On March 17, Viktar Hulevich, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, went on an official visit to the Republic of Cuba.
Combat readiness inspection
On March 11, the Belarusian Armed Forces started the combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian Armed Forces. Officially, the inspection is a response to the NATO Steadfast Defender 2024 and Dragon-24 drills.
The 19th Mechanized Brigade of the Northwestern Operational Command plays the main role in the inspection. The brigade was involved in the inspection in two stages.
During the first stage of the inspection, the brigade’s rapid reaction units (a mechanized battalion reinforced by a tank company) were redeployed to Ashmiany district (Hrodna region). The redeployment was carried out in a combined manner (by rail and road). The units set up a field camp, conduct patrols and ambushes, and serve at checkpoints.
On March 15, the second stage of the 19th Mechanized Brigade’s inspection began, which included bringing the entire brigade to full readiness. To staff the units of the 19th Mechanized Brigade, conscription from the reserve began. As of March 17, more than 3000 reservists have already been drafted. There is also a draft of vehicles from organizations.
Apparently, the transfer of the 19th Mechanized Brigade from peacetime to wartime is being practiced. Similar activities were conducted in 2023 with the 11th Mechanized Brigade.
Units of the Western Operational Command were also involved in the inspection. In particular, the mechanized battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade and artillery units (the 111th Artillery Brigade and the 841st Artillery Group of the 11th Mechanized Brigade). All of the mentioned units of the Western Operational Command were taken to training grounds for field drills prior to the start of the combat readiness inspection.
The scale of the ongoing combat readiness inspection hasn’t yet posed any threat to the countries bordering Belarus. We can expect that the inspection will last for another month.
Combat training
Battery tactical drills were held in the anti-aircraft missile and artillery divizion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade and the 147th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment to cover tank and mechanized units from the airborne enemy. During the drills they practiced positioning on the terrain, camouflage, guarding, occupying a firing position, search and conditional destruction of the enemy. During the field drills, training was provided for combat crews of the Osa SAM system.
On March 11, units of the 350th Artillery Group of the 6th Mechanized Brigade went in a combined manner to a training ground to conduct field drills.
On March 12, units of the 111th Artillery Brigade marched in a combined manner to the area of the field drills’ conduct. The brigade’s rocket and cannon units take part in the drills. On March 14, the brigade’s heavy howitzer units left for field training.
Training with PMC Wagner mercenaries is being conducted at the Obuz-Liasnouski training ground as part of the field drills of the 105th Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 11th Mechanized Brigade.
On March 12, personnel of the reconnaissance battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade marched from their permanent deployment point to the Hozhski training ground. The march took place at night.
A camp training session began with the engineer-sapper battalions of the Western Operational Command. The servicemen started training together with a unit of the State Border Committee on installing mine and explosive barriers and conducting engineering reconnaissance. They are also practicing issues related to the construction of engineering barriers, bridge crossings and fortification equipment.
Fire and tactical drills were held at the 61st Fighter Air Base with the military fire protection and rescue team on the topic “Extinguishing a fire at an aircraft armament and ammunition depot.”
On March 13, demonstrative fire-tactical drills were held in the 6th Mechanized Brigade. Special attention was paid to extinguishing fires at combat vehicle parks. Western Operational Command fire protection forces and units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were involved in the drills.
On March 13, units of the 841st Artillery Group of the 11th Mechanized Brigade marched to the Obuz-Liasnouski training ground for field drills. Howitzer, rocket and mortar units take part in the field drills. The servicemen began combat training. During the training, firing from self-propelled artillery systems and mortars with direct and semi-direct aiming was carried out.
As part of field drills, comprehensive exercises in special training with live firing were held at the Asipovichski training ground with the 310th Artillery Group of the 120th Mechanized Brigade. The crews of the 2S1 Gvozdika and 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer batteries demonstrated their skills in firing from closed and open firing positions both during the day and at night. UAV operators performed fire adjustment
On March 13, the NBC Protection Company of the 6th Mechanized Brigade began field drills. The personnel practice the use of personal protective equipment, techniques and rules of action in contaminated terrain, work with NBC reconnaissance and dosimetric control devices, and special treatment equipment.
Field drills began at the Brestski training ground with the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Divizion of the 115th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. The servicemen marched to the assigned area, set up a field camp, and began deploying equipment to a combat position.
Engineering training was conducted at the Losvida training ground with servicemen of the 103rd Airborne Brigade.
Battalion tactical drills with units of the 120th Mechanized Brigade were held at the 227th combined arms training ground. The personnel are practicing the occupation of a blocking line and also carrying out tasks to search for, block, and destroy the conditional enemy. A tank platoon, mortar, and engineer-sapper units are assigned to the battalion to perform the tasks. Reconnaissance is carried out using UAVs.
On March 13, one of the battalions of the 85th Signal Brigade was tasked to move to the assigned area, deploy and establish stable, uninterrupted communications.
Soldiers from the 6th, 11th and 19th Mechanized Brigades continue their training at the 56th training center for junior specialists of motorized rifle troops of the Russian Air Force Ground Forces in the specialty “sniper”.
After battalion tactical drills, the 339th Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 120th Mechanized Brigade returned to its permanent deployment point.
A comprehensive inspection involving the 50th Combined Air Base, 61st Fighter Air Base and 116th Assault Air Base of the Belarusian Air Force was held on March 14. The Ministry of Defense of Belarus didn’t report on these events.
Tactical drills with live firing were conducted at the Asipovichski training ground with the rocket artillery divizion of the 191st Artillery Group of the 19th Mechanized Brigade. Fire control exercises were also held there with a cannon self-propelled artillery divizion of the 51st Artillery Brigade.
Military commissariats and territorial defense
On March 12, an inspection of the territorial defense of Homiel region started. Its purpose is to determine the degree of readiness of local authorities to form territorial troops. During the inspection, up to 200 reservists will be drafted from the reserve to staff units of the territorial troops in Rahachou and Karmiansk districts.
From March 14 to April 5, a training session with conscripts of the territorial troops will be held in Voranava district (Hrodna region). During the drills, up to 100 reservists will be drafted.
On March 12-13, military commissariats of Mahiliou, Minsk and Brest regions, as well as military commissariats of Minsk city (Partyzanski, Savetski and Frunzenski districts) sent 90 reservists to a military training session. The reservists were sent to military units of the Minsk garrison and units of the engineering troops.
Military training sessions were reported to be conducted at the 6th Mechanized Brigade, 11th Mechanized Brigade, 120th Mechanized Brigade, 74th Signal Regiment, 557th Engineering Brigade, 2400th Separate Signal Battalion, 25th Rocket Artillery Arsenal, and 83rd Engineering Airfield Regiment. At least 130 reservists were drafted to the units mentioned above.
As part of the combat readiness inspection of the 19th Mechanized Brigade, the military commissariats of Vitsiebsk and Minsk regions drafted more than 3000 conscripts for training sessions.
More than 1500 people joined the national home guard units in Minsk district, about 10% of whom are women. Based on the Law “On the national home guard”, the local district executive committee adopted a decision that defines the list of the national home guard units, their number and deployment locations. Training has been organized for them.
On March 14, a training on conducting mobilization activities was held in Shklou district (Mahiliou region) with servicemen of military commissariats of the region.
On March 15, the commission of the military commissariat of Iuye district conducted an inspection of the readiness of the notification and collection point of the village executive committee.
On April 2-26, a training session with conscripts of the territorial troops will be held in Vileika district (Minsk region).
Internal Troops
A training and methodological session with battalion commanders under the leadership of PMC Wagner mercenaries at the training center of the Internal Troops was completed. During the session, the search and liquidation of the enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance group was practiced. 150 people took part in the training session.
On March 13, a joint special tactical training on releasing hostages and apprehending armed criminals was held with members of the Almaz special anti-terrorism unit of the MIA of Belarus and the Rys’ special rapid reaction unit of Rosgvardiya. During the joint training, members of the Russian special unit shared their experience of combat operations in Ukraine.
The Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) will soon be transformed into the Special Purpose Center of the Internal Troops.
Amendments to legislation
The decree “On the transfer of state bodies and other organizations to work under wartime conditions,” signed on March 4, was classified.
PMC Wagner
After Lukashenka’s statements about the need to stop getting obsessed with PMC Wagner, there was a change in the media policy towards the mercenaries. Recently, the number of their references by official resources has significantly decreased.
A small number of mercenaries of PMC Wagner are still stationed in Belarus and train Belarusian security forces. It is too early to talk about the complete shutdown of mercenaries’ activities in Belarus.
Other
On March 14, for the first time in several months, a Mi-8 helicopter of the Belarusian Air Force was recorded to fly to the territory of the so-called “Site 400. Kupol” (located near Volma village, Minsk district). The helicopter picked up passengers at the “site” and then headed for Mazyr (Bokau) and Ziabrauka airfields. A command center of the group of the Russian Armed Forces, which began the invasion of Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, was located on the territory of “Site 400. Kupol.” Units of the 1530th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces are stationed at these airfields.
The information about the rotation of a unit of the Special Operations Forces of the Belarusian Armed Forces located in Homiel district was confirmed. The battalion of the 103rd Airborne Brigade was replaced by a battalion of the 38th Airborne Assault Brigade. The Belarusian military are engaged not only in protecting the border with Ukraine, but also in ensuring security of the Russian military stationed at Ziabrauka airfield.
On March 14, a new border outpost Baravoye was opened in the section of the Mazyr border detachment in Lelchytsy district.
