MINSK, 23 March (BelTA) – A surprise test of the combat readiness of Belarus' Armed Forces has reached its active phase – an integration exercise, representatives of the Belarusian Defense Ministry told BelTA.
Troops, which are taking part in the combat readiness test, are now in their designated positions in various exercise areas and terrain compartments. They are about to finish building field defenses and stand ready to carry out combat training missions. A total of about 6,000 personnel and about 200 weapon systems will be involved in the exercise.
The forthcoming integration exercise will allow evaluating the training level of the army units. It is also viewed as a response measure to a major multinational NATO exercise to be staged near the Belarusian border.
Belarusian Defense Minister, Major-General Viktor Khrenin said: “The combat readiness test is taking place in a complicated military, political, and strategic situation. Europe is getting militarized. The number of troops and weapons is on the rise. More and more exercises are held in neighboring countries. Defender Europe 2020 will be the largest one in the last 25 years. Over 11,000 personnel and about 800 weapon systems have been amassed for the exercise in Poland and Baltic states alone. Despite the United States European Command (EUCOM) saying the number of participants has been reduced and four allied exercises have been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, NATO leadership has not abandoned the idea of staging the Defender Europe 2020 exercise.”
The defense minister stressed that in anticipation of possible developments Belarus had come up with a system to train its armed forces in a way to be able to independently and promptly respond to ongoing processes. “The reinforcement of state border sections has been worked out together with the border service. The shakedown of army units is over and a number of battalion-level tactical exercises are being held. They feature the use of anti-armor guided missiles, long-range artillery fire and MLRS fire. The effectiveness of the present territorial defense system is being evaluated. Air Force units, including new multirole aircraft Su-30SM, are being used at every training event. We are carrying out all the events exclusively in our own territory and in a manner that is transparent and open to the neighbors,” Viktor Khrenin said.
