MINSK, 13 September (BelTA) – Belarus promptly and openly informs the public on the content and scale of the Zapad 2017 army exercise, Head of the International Military Cooperation Department of the Defense Ministry of Belarus, Defense Minister Aide on International Military Cooperation Oleg Voinov told the media on 13 September.
Representatives of the Defense Ministry meet with mass media on a regular basis to provide detailed information regarding every aspect of the exercise. Belarus held a briefing on the Zapad 2017 army exercise at the recent meeting of the NATO Deputies Committee in Brussels. These and other events demonstrate “full transparency”, Oleg Voinov stressed.
A large number of observers have been invited to attend the Zapad 2017 army exercise. Invitations have been sent to international organizations such as the UN, OSCE, NATO, CIS, CSTO, ICRC and also the military-diplomatic corps accredited in the embassies of foreign states in Belarus. A total of more than 80 people, Oleg Voinov said.
Zapad 2017 will be widely covered by the media. Journalists will be provided access to the military ranges Ruzhansky, Osipovichsky and Domanovo during the active phase of the exercise on 17-19 September. Daily briefings for accredited journalists will be held starting from 14 September.
According to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about 270 foreign mass media outlets have applied for accreditation. Applications have been received from news agencies, publications and TV channels from all the neighboring countries, and also the UK, Germany, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the United States, Turkey, Finland, France, and Sweden. The army exercise will also be covered by journalists from Qatar, South Korea and Japan. The Belarusian Defense Ministry also expects military observers from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Sweden and Norway.
Zapad 2017 will be conducted on 14-20 September in Belarus and in Russia (Luzhsky, Strugi Krasnye and Pravdinsky ranges).
