MINSK, 26 March (BelTA) – The active phase of a Belarusian-Russian battalion-size military exercise has ended in the exercise area Osipovichsky. Paratroopers of the 103rd Vitebsk Independent Guards Airborne Brigade and the 76th Guards Air Assault Division of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation took part in the exercise, the Belarusian Defense Ministry told BelTA.
Vadim Denisenko, Commanding Officer of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus, said: “The purpose of the exercise is to practice countersabotage actions in order to eliminate illegal armed groups using all the assets at disposal of the 103rd Independent Guards Airborne Brigade. We've tried to use an integrated approach in accordance with our vision of the fight against illegal armed groups. The combined battalion force operated in complicated conditions: they had to shoot in daytime and nighttime. The deployment of paratroopers for securing an advantageous position was practiced. I am very pleased with shooting results. The level of training of the battalion is very high. The same battalion took part in an unscheduled inspection some time ago and demonstrated a high level of tactics and shooting skills.”
According to Vadim Denisenko, the Russian army sent a very well trained company to participate in the exercise. “It includes only contract soldiers. These military personnel know everything they need to know. Joint work indicates that we learn from each other. Countersabotage actions are a very interesting topic for the Russian side. They learn from our experience. A combined army unit was also airdropped. Belarusians represented half of it and Russians were the other half,” he added.
It is the first Belarusian-Russian paratrooper exercise that has been held in Belarus this year.
