News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 15 September (BelTA) – President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is observing the active phase of the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 at the 227^th combined arms exercise area (Borisovsky), BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko visited an auxiliary command post of the Belarusian-Russian regional military force and an auxiliary command post of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the Western Military District of Russia’s Armed Forces.

 The president heard out a report on the military and political situation in the European region and its influence on military security in the Belarus-Russia Union State. He was also briefed on the deployment of troops and the interaction with the military force in the northwestern operational direction.

Alexander Lukashenko got familiarized with a portable post of the commander-in-chief of the regional military force. The Belarusian-made armored vehicle is fitted with cutting-edge communications in order to command the troops directly on the move.

“Good job! It took a little time to design such a good system,” the president noted.

The Belarusian-Russian combined armed forces are practicing working together to repulse an enemy assault, to counter-attack and defeat the imaginary enemy. Su-34 and Su-25 aircraft, Mi-24 and Mi-28N helicopters are delivering strikes against advancing forces of the imaginary enemy. Su-24MR aircraft are verifying whether aerial strikes have been successful while Mi-8 helicopters are landing paratroopers.

Belarus and Russia are also testing new products of the Belarusian defense industry: the V1 light armored vehicles (Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant), the Kaiman armored vehicles, counter-multicopter radio electronic guns (the KB Radar design bureau), and the modernized T-72 BM3 tanks.

Attending the army exercise are top officials of the integration associations, namely the Belarus-Russia Union State, the CIS, the CSTO, and also foreign observers and diplomats.

The Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 began on 14 September to end on 20 September. In Belarus the regular army exercise areas Lepelsky, Borisovsky, Losvido, Osipovichsky, and the Air Force exercise areas Ruzhansky and Domanovo will be used for the exercise in addition to two regular sectors of terrain in Vitebsk Oblast — Dretun and Glubokoye. In Russia the army exercise areas Luzhsky, Strugi Krasnyye, and Pravdinsky in Kaliningrad Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, and Pskov Oblast will be used for the exercise.

Modern approaches to combat warfare and the experience of modern armed conflicts were taken into account in order to put together the concept of the Zapad 2017 army exercise. The concept stems from a crisis situation, which gets aggravated by actions of illegal armed groups, international separatist and terrorist organizations enjoying outside support. For the purposes of the exercise the warring parties are located within real borders of Belarus: the Northerners, which include the Union State of Belarus and Russia, and the Westerners, which are represented by a coalition of interested countries. All the recent armed conflicts began in line with this scenario.

Some 12,700 military personnel are taking part in the Zapad 2017 exercise. About 10,200 personnel have been deployed in Belarus, with Belarus contributing slightly more than 7,000 people and Russia supplying about 3,000 troops. The Belarusian part of the exercise also involves 370 armored vehicles, including about 140 combat tanks. Up to 150 artillery units and multiple-launch rocket systems, over 40 aircraft and helicopters have been deployed as well.