Combat training, activities of the Internal Troops and territorial defense.
Combat coordination of the 19th Mechanized Brigade was completed during the combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian Armed Forces. New tank and artillery units were also involved in the inspection.
Other combat training activities include drills with air defense units at the Damanava training ground, as well as bilateral company tactical drills with the 38th Air Assault Brigade.
On April 5, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus published a tender for the purchase of 13 Supercam S350 UAVs. The 50th Combined Air Base received another batch of Mi-35M helicopters.
International cooperation
On April 4, a delegation of the Belarusian Armed Forces took part in the regular meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the CIS member states held in Moscow. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on regional and international security issues, made a decision on the further development and functioning of the Joint (unified) communication system, and outlined areas of cooperation between the armed forces of the CIS member states in the field of combat training. Commander of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces Lukyanovich made a report on the topic “On the directions of development of the Unified Regional Air Defense System of Belarus and Russia.”
Combat readiness inspection
1) As of April 1, units of the 19th Mechanized Brigade were stationed at the Lepelski training ground and in Zaslonava (≈3000 people), at the Asipovichski training ground (≈1000 people), Damanava training ground (≈250 people), in Ashmiany district (near Tsentseli village, ≈350 people) and Pastavy district (near Yushkoushchyna and Padaliany, ≈410 people). It was reported that the combat coordination of the brigade’s units, into which the conscripts had been drafted, was completed. Brigade tactical drills are to begin soon.
2) Combat training was conducted with conscripts of the 120th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade at the Damanava training ground. An experiment is being conducted to shorten the time required for the readiness of the units, which have been additionally staffed with conscripts, to go to a new area. Instructors with “experience of international military conflicts” are involved in the training of personnel.
3) On April 1, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that command and staff drills with the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade started as part of the combat readiness inspection. As part of the drills, the brigade’s units carried out a set of measures to prepare and conduct combat operations: they marched to new position areas, relocated the command post, and fought against enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups. The units carried out tasks to prepare and launch missile strikes in a complex, highly dynamic environment. The brigade is armed with the Smerch MLRS and Polonez-M missile systems.
4) On April 5, it became known that the 52nd Separate Tank Battalion and the engineering units of the 6th Mechanized Brigade had joined the inspection. The units are marching to the training ground in a combined manner. Later, battalion tactical drills with live firing will be conducted.
Combat training
On April 1, field drills began in the 48th Separate Battalion of Electronic Warfare. The field drills are held on the basis of the facility “Khrenin’s line” in Zhabinka district. Tactical and special exercises are conducted with the personnel of the battalion.
On April 1, tactical drills with live firing began with the rocket artillery divizion of the 350th Artillery Group of the 6th Mechanized Brigade. As part of the drills, the divizion marched, occupied the combat area, and began its engineering equipment. During the drills, special attention was paid to the organization of guarding, camouflage and deployment in the area. UAV crews were involved in carrying out combat launches.
Control exercises on special training with combat launches were held with the rocket artillery divizion of the 111th Artillery Brigade.
Tactical drills with live firing by air defense units of the Western Operational Command took place at the Damanava training ground. The anti-aircraft missile and artillery divizions of the 6th and 11th Mechanized Brigades, as well as the 147th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, took part in the drills. A special feature of the drills was that the tasks were carried out using civilian infrastructure. During the drills, live firing was carried out with the 2S6 Tunguska, Strela-10, Osa and Igla systems. UAVs of various types were used to conduct reconnaissance and record the defeat of aerial targets. In one episode of the drills, the crew of the Igla system was disguised as road workers.
Comprehensive tactical exercises with the 355th Separate Tank Battalion of the 120th Mechanized Brigade were conducted at the 227th Barysauski combined arms training ground. The battalion marched, occupied a temporary deployment point and began to equip it, organized guards and camouflage. Afterwards, the servicemen practiced the occupation of a blocking line and carried out tasks to search for and destroy the conditional enemy.
On April 3-5, tactical drills were held with the 1st Radio-Technical Center of the 2284th Separate Radio-Technical Battalion. During the drills, the servicemen marched to the assigned area, where they performed tasks to build up the radar field and cover the troops and civilian infrastructure from air attacks by the conditional enemy. Combat crews went on combat duty and practiced radar reconnaissance in the airspace to detect aircraft and send information to higher command posts.
Training of the 105th Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 11th Mechanized Brigade continued at the Obuz-Liasnouski training ground under the leadership of PMC Wagner mercenaries. Particular attention is paid to studying the experience of the war in Ukraine, including the tactics of assault groups in interaction with reconnaissance, artillery and UAV units.
Training of the 7th Separate Tank Battalion of the 11th Mechanized Brigade continued at the 333rd training center in Russia. The servicemen performed firing exercises with the armament of the T-72B3 tank and also practiced marching as a platoon. The training of snipers of the Belarusian Armed Forces continued at the 56th training center of the Russian Armed Forces.
Special tactical drills on the topic “Management of reconnaissance forces and means” were conducted in the Western Operational Command. One of the features of the drills was their complexity and work on unfamiliar and unprepared terrain in Navahrudak and Karelichy districts. During the drills, the crews of the UAV detachment carried out air reconnaissance using the Supercam S150 UAV and DJI Mavic 3 quadcopter.
On April 7, the anti-aircraft missile and artillery divizion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade marched to its permanent deployment point after completing field drills.
Units of the 310th Artillery Group of the 120th Mechanized Brigade returned to their permanent deployment point after the field drills.
Special tactical exercises were conducted in the 117th Navigation and Topographic Unit. During the training, the work of a field storage facility for topographic and geodetic information tools was organized, and work was carried out to create photographic schemes of terrain.
Bilateral company tactical drills with live firing by units of the 38th Air Assault Brigade have been completed at the Brestski training ground. The paratroopers practiced a set of tactical tasks on various terrain. Special attention was paid to the work with reinforcement means, the use of UAVs, tactical medicine. At the final stage, the servicemen practiced destroying the enemy using small arms, armored personnel carriers, grenade launchers, mortars and anti-tank missile systems.
Special tactical drills with reconnaissance units of the 120th Mechanized Brigade are being conducted at the 227th Barysauski combined arms training ground. The reconnaissance units are practising surveillance, search operations in cooperation with internal affairs bodies, ambush operations, blocking enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups, and the protection and defence of important facilities.
One of the divizions of the 15th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade took part in tactical drills. The divizion, armed with S-400 SAM systems, went to a new position area and went on combat duty. The servicemen practiced the issues of occupying launch positions on unprepared terrain, guarding military equipment, marching, and countering sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the conditional enemy.
Military commissariats and territorial defense
On April 2, military commissariats of Minsk region and Minsk city sent at least 72 conscripts to military training sessionsto the 1371st engineering base (engineering weapons), the 25th arsenal of rocket and artillery armament, the 391st artillery ammunition base, the 60th Separate Signal Regiment and the 153rd Radio-Technical Brigade (special forces). Military commissariats of Brest region sent 35 conscripts to military training sessions.
A training session with conscripts of the territorial troops began in Vileika district. During the training session, the reception of conscripts with the use of the local base of mobilization expansion, as well as the formation of a national home guard unit is practiced. During the training session, conscripts will be trained in military specialties. A total of 130 reservists were drafted to the training session.
On April 2-3, a joint staff training with the district headquarters of the territorial defense was held under the leadership of the head of the administration of Savetski district of Minsk. A similar training was held in Biaroza (Brest region).
As part of the comprehensive inspection of the territorial defense of Homiel region, on April 2-4, command-staff drillswere held with the territorial defense forces of Rahachou and Karma districts. The purpose of the drills was to assess the readiness of the officials of military units of the territorial troops to perform combat training tasks, to improve the skills of reserve officers in leading their subordinates, as well as to train the personnel to fulfill their duties. During the drills, the issues of protection and defense of the territorial defense facility were practiced, as well as the actions of the detachment of the national home guard. Similar drills were held in Voranava district.
A representative of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces: drills with territorial defense will be conducted in all regions of Belarus. During the drills, practical tasks of territorial defense will be practiced, as well as joint actions with the Belarusian Armed Forces.
A military training session has begun in the 110th Material Support Regiment. They involve 15 conscripts. Also, 15 reservists arrived at the 557th Engineering Brigade for a military training session.
A military training session continued at the 115th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment with reservists on the maintenance of military equipment in long-term storage.
A military training session with reservists was completed at the 74th Signal Regiment. A total of 23 reservists took part in the training session.
A military training session with reservists was completed at the 557th Engineering Brigade. A total of 24 reservists took part in the training session.
A military training session with reservists was completed at the 120th Mechanized Brigade. A total of 24 reservists took part in the training sessions.
Internal Troops
Special tactical exercises on the topic “Participation of the unit in a counter-terrorist operation” were held with servicemen of the 2nd Militia Brigade of the Internal Troops.
Field drills were conducted with the personnel of units of the 4th Militia Brigade. During the drills, the units were raised on alert, marched to the assigned area and secured a critical facility, as well as organized a search for an enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance group in the blocked area. At the same time, logistics and technical support units practiced the issues of comprehensive support for the units. They also practiced the equipment of roadblocks, the performance of training firing at night, and the storming of a stronghold.
Amendments to legislation
On April 5, it became known that the draft law “On suspension of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe” would be submitted to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. The document provides for the suspension of the treaty, but doesn’t mean Belarus’ withdrawal from it and the cessation of internal procedures in the Belarusian Armed Forces related to its implementation. Earlier, Belarus suspended the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe with regard to Poland and the Czech Republic.
Military equipment
On April 5, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus published a tender for the purchase of 13 Supercam S350 UAVs. This is the largest one-time purchase of the Supercam drones (11 Supercam S350 and S150 drones were purchased for the army in 2020-2023). The purchased drones will be used to establish UAV detachments in the artillery brigades of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
On April 7, four new Mi-35M helicopters arrived at Machulishchy airfield. This is the second batch of the helicopters (the first one arrived in August 2023).
The Berkut-3 tactical unmanned aerial system developed by OJSC AGAT Control Systems has been accepted for supply to the Belarusian Armed Forces. This means that the system can be purchased for the army. Berkut-3 is designed to perform aerial reconnaissance missions. The effective range is up to 50 km, flight duration – up to 3 hours. The system provides automatic transmission of coordinates of aerial reconnaissance objects and text information to the Tsenturion command control vehicles via wire and radio channels, which shortens the combat use cycle of artillery units.
