Military activity on the territory of Belarus on December 11-17
Aviation activity, movements of the troops by rail and roads in Belarus
During the week, there was an increase in military activity related to combat readiness inspections at the 6th Mechanized Brigade and Air Defense Forces.
Aviation activity
- Aviation activity was recorded at Machulishchy, Lida, Baranavichy, Luninets, Barautsy airfields, at Homiel airport and Minsk National Airport. Flights of aircraft and helicopters of the Belarusian Air Force and Russian Aerospace Forces were recorded.
- On December 12, the An-124 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces arrived at Homiel airport from Ulyanovsk (Russia). On December 15, the aircraft flew to Baranavichy airfield, and later flew to Moscow.
- On December 13, Tu-214 passenger aircraft of the Special Flight Squad “Russia”, with director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin on board, arrived at Minsk National Airport. On December 14, the aircraft flew to Russia. The official arrived in Belarus to participate in the meeting of the heads of security agencies and intelligence services of the CIS states.
- On December 14, the An-12 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Force flew from Homiel airport to Russia.
- On December 15, intensive flights of aircraft and helicopters of the Belarusian Air Force related to a sudden inspection of the on-duty Air Defense Forces were recorded.
Rail activity
- On December 16, a military cargo train with vehicles was spotted in Homiel. We may assume that the vehicles were heading to the 1868th artillery armament base.
Movements by road
- No large convoys with military vehicles of the Russian Armed Forces were recorded. Single vehicles and small convoys were repeatedly spotted in Mazyr.
- No movements of PMC Wagner vehicles were recorded. It was reported on the conduct of training with the Internal Troops.
- No large convoys with military vehicles of the Belarusian Armed Forces were recorded. Single vehicles and small convoys were spotted in Minsk, Hrodna, Slonim, Machulishchy, Ziabrauka, and on some sections of the M1, M5, M14, R23, R31, R42 highways.
Changes in the size of the Russian Armed Forces group and PMC Wagner in Belarus: the rotation of the Russian contingent (about 80 people) at Mazyr (Bokau) airfield is confirmed.
General conclusion
- During the week, there was an increase in military activity related to a combat readiness inspection of a tank battalion of the 6th Mechanized Brigade and the on-duty Air Defense Forces. Earlier we suggested that a combat readiness inspection might be conducted.
- We may assume that there will be no increase in military activity until the end of December. We should expect an increase in activity in January, after the end of the New Year holidays.
- We should also note that information about the rotation of part of the Russian contingent at Mazyr (Bokau) airfield has been confirmed.