MINSK, 15 February (BelTA) - We are not threatening anyone. We are just training our troops, Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin told reporters in Minsk on 15 February, BelTA has learned.
According to him, the goal of the Allied Resolve 2022 exercise is to prevent and repel an external aggression in the course of a defensive operation, to counter terrorist challenges and threats and to ensure the security of the Union State. "Belarus is a peace-loving state. We don't threaten anyone. We do not view any of the states as a potential adversary, and this concept is formalized in the Constitution, draft which has been put up for a referendum due on 27 February. We thereby demonstrate and confirm that we will adhere to these views," Viktor Khrenin said.
The minister noted that the exercise is held openly. "In the run-up to the exercise, we held two briefings: for the media, and for accredited military attaches. Military attaches are given the opportunity to observe the episodes of the exercise in various theaters of action. After yesterday's conversation with the defense minister of Ukraine, seeing a certain apprehension, on a parity basis [since they invited our military attache to their exercise Metel, the key episode of which will take place tomorrow], I suggested that a military attache of Ukraine observe the joint drills and the final operation at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground on 19 February. Ukraine's military attache is here today to see that we are no threat to our next-door neighbor, but we are just training our troops to maintain our security,” he stressed.
The second stage of the joint military drills Allied Resolve 2022 is taking place on 10-20 February. Units of Belarus' Armed Forces and units of the Eastern Military District of Russia's Armed Forces are practicing suppressing and repelling external aggression in the course of a defensive operation, countering terrorism and protecting the interests of the Union State.
In addition to the military training area Brestsky the troops use the training areas Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, and Osipovichsky. There are plans to use the airfields in Baranovichi, Luninets, Lida, and Machulishchi. The manpower and firepower involved in the Russian-Belarusian exercise Allied Resolve 2022 does not exceed the limit set by the Vienna Document 2011.
According to the Defense Ministry, more than 150 journalists representing Belarusian, Russian, and foreign media outlets have been accredited to cover the exercise. Belarusian bloggers and opinion leaders have been invited to cover the exercise for the first time.
“I can already see certain results. First, our Armed Forces have demonstrated the ability to ensure the military security of the Union State. The first stage showed that we have sufficient military logistics and infrastructure capacities and capabilities to receive and deploy troops. We also see that we still have some margin of safety, and can accommodate more forces and hardware. This is also very important for us. Our command systems, the systems of troops training are clearly aligned, our morale is high, which certainly underscores that we are ready to ensure the security of the Union State,” said Viktor Khrenin.
On 15 February, the 465th missile brigade conducted live firing of the Tochka-U tactical missile system at the Polessky training area in Gomel Oblast. The missile specialists produced a group missile strike on a target at a distance of over 70 kilometers as part of the Belarusian-Russian joint operational exercise Allied Resolve 2022. The defense minister watched the troops' actions.
