Press releases

MINSK, 22 May (BelTA) – Russian military vehicles will participate in the parade to mark Belarus’ Independence Day in Minsk on 3 July, BelTA learned from the Vo Slavu Rodiny newspaper of the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

“Russians are expected to display three columns of military vehicles, namely GAZ-2230 Tiger armored vehicles, operational and tactical missile systems Iskander and S-400 air defense systems. The Russian equipment will arrive in Minsk at the end of June and will be used in the dress rehearsal,” the newspaper article reads.

Over 3,000 people, about 150 military vehicles and 35 aircraft will take part in the Independence Day parade. More than a half of the participants are officers and students of the Belarusian Military Academy.

A column of ‘partisans’ equipped with unique, even hand-made weapons which date back to the Great Patriotic War will take part in the military parade for the first time. They will be followed by students of the Minsk Suvorov Military School and the Military Academy of Belarus.

Participants of the parade rehearse twice a week at the ground of the Military Command of the Armed Forces. The airfield in Lipky hosts rehearsals for military vehicles, the newspaper reads.

The parade of military hardware will be opened by numerous vehicles used during the Great Patriotic War, including cars GAZ-AA, GAZ-67, the BM-13 rocket launcher, tanks T-34-85, T-44, IS-2, IS-3, BT-7, self-propelled units SU-100 and ISU-152. The parade will also feature modern military hardware.

The Independence Day military parade in Minsk will also feature armed helicopters Mi-8 and Mi-24, fighter aircraft MiG-29, attack aircraft Su-25, transport aircraft Il-76 and An-26, a pilot group Belaya Rus.

The military parade will include a show of the guards of honor and a concert of the orchestra of the Belarusian Armed Forces. The celebrations in Minsk will be concluded by a festive salute.