Information about the redeployment of troops to the border with Ukraine may be part of a disinformation campaign.
Last week, a number of Telegram channels (mostly Russian) published photos of military equipment of the Belarusian Armed Forces with the “B” tactical symbol on it.
Tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, artillery systems, and other equipment got into the photos.
Many resources noted that the equipment was being moved to the border with Ukraine, while others linked the “B” on the equipment to PMC Wagner.
The source of the photos was one of the Telegram channels linked to the Belarusian military. However, the channel’s publications didn’t mention the redeployment of equipment with the “B” symbol to the border with Ukraine.
According to Belarusian Hajun, the photos of the equipment with “B” are not related to the group of the Belarusian Armed Forces in the area bordering Ukraine. The vast majority of equipment belongs to the 6th Mechanized Brigade(military unit 05733, Hrodna). In August, tactical drills were held with the brigade at the Hozhski training ground and terrain in Hrodna region.
The spreading of information about the alleged redeployment of troops to the border with Ukraine could have been part of a disinformation campaign.
Photos of equipment with “B” from other units of the Western Operational Command – the 841st Artillery Group and the 111th Artillery Brigade – were also published.
We recall that in September, the Belarusian Armed Forces are to conduct comprehensive bilateral drills. At the end of August, the units were to start moving to the drills’ areas.
A special feature of the bilateral drills is that the “combat operations” are being conducted against each other by real, not conditionally designated, adversaries. The Western Operational Command and the Northwestern Operational Command will act as opposing parties in the drills. Similar drills were conducted in 2023 in the Brest, Hrodna, and Minsk regions.
We note that the final stage of the preparations of the Western Operational Command for the bilateral drills was a training on the management of reconnaissance forces and means (July 29-31). And on August 7-8, the Northwestern Operational Command conducted command-staff drills.
We may assume that the “B” tactical symbol will be used by units of the Western Operational Command during the bilateral drills. Therefore, units of the Northwestern Operational Command will also have their own tactical symbol. For example, in 2023, its units placed the “IDRP” tactical symbol on their equipment.
The geography of the bilateral drills and the involvement of the group of the Belarusian Armed Forces in Homiel region are still unclear. We recall that units of the Northwestern Operational Command and the Special Operations Forces are concentrated there, among others.
