MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – Police units belonging to the collective peacekeeping forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization freed hostages and captured the leader of a militant group as part of the ongoing exercise Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016 in the Obuz-Lesnovsky exercise area in Belarus, CSTO Press Secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov told BelTA.
As part of the Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016 exercise special operations forces representing the interior troops of Belarus, the Russian SWAT unit Zubr, and the Armenian police stormed a building previously captured by an illegal armed group and freed hostages from among the local population. From the helicopter a SWAT team roped down onto the roof to enter by breaking windows with all guns blazing seconds later. At the same time another team used armored vehicles to enter the building via an armored door that they had to blow up with an adhesive explosive charge. Another team used a special ladder to enter the building via windows on the ground floor by using flashbangs. The leader of the militant group was led out with his hands tied to be delivered to the collective peacekeeping forces camp where he would be handed over to law enforcement agencies as a war criminal on the international wanted list.
The first stage of the exercise ended on 25 August. The command of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces is about to finish planning a peacekeeping operation while paying attention to interaction between the national contingents in the course of the operation. An operational group of the command of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces examined the area where the action will take place to allow the commanding officer of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces to fine tune his orders.
Vladimir Zainetdinov said that commanding officers of various units and subunits of the national contingents were busy polishing practical skills, managing their units, organizing and maintaining unbreakable interaction. The units spent some time getting prepared to carry out various missions while effectively using their weapons, military and special hardware.
The personnel of the collective peacekeeping forces practiced the formation of a motorcade and ways to protect it, flew drones for reconnaissance purposes, took steps to detect improvised explosive devices (IED) and land a bomb disposal squad from a helicopter. The units also practiced operating a mobile checkpoint, blocking a motorway, and retreating under fire as well as other actions.
The CSTO exercise Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016 is scheduled to take place on 23-27 August. Up to 1,500 personnel representing the armies, interior troops and police units of all the six CSTO member states as well as about 300 aircraft, armored vehicles and automobiles are involved in the exercise.
