MINSK, 13 September (BelTA) – Protecting parts of the state border will be practiced during the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 among other things, BelTA learned from Oleg Voinov, Head of the International Military Cooperation Department of the Belarusian Defense Ministry, Aide to the Defense Minister for International Military Cooperation, on 13 September.
Practical episodes of the Zapad 2017 exercise will be focused on how Belarusian and Russian troops operate as part of the regional military force to defend parts of the state border, guard and defend military installations, block and eliminate sabotage and reconnaissance forces and illegal armed groups. A defensive combat episode is also part of the plan.
For the practical episodes of the exercise Belarus will provide the exercise areas near Lepel, Borisov, Losvido, Osipovichi, Ruzhany, and Domanovo as well as two locations in Vitebsk Oblast — Dretun and Glubokoye. The choice of these locations was attributed to their considerable distance from the borders of Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
The Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 is scheduled to take place in Belarus and three army exercise areas in Russia (Luzhsky, Strugi Krasnyye, and Pravdinsky) on 14-20 September. Some 12,700 military personnel will take part in the exercise. About 10,200 personnel will be deployed in Belarus, with Belarus contributing slightly more than 7,000 people and Russia supplying about 3,000 troops. The Belarusian part of the exercise will also involve 370 armored vehicles, including about 140 combat tanks. Up to 150 artillery units and multiple-launch rocket systems, over 40 aircraft and helicopters will be deployed as well.
