First stage of large-scale Belarusian-Russian joined drills starts in Belarus
- 18.09.2009, 10:00
The two-stage joint Belarusian-Russian military drills West 2009 start on September 18 in Belarus.
Interfax-Zapad agency was told about that in the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Belarus.
“The main objective of the manoeuvres is to check potential of Belarus and Russia to ensure military safety of the “union state”, its readiness to repel possible aggression; to step up of military command and train coordinated defensive operations of military forces of the two countries,” stated the Defence Ministry of Belarus.
As noted by the defence agency, the concept of the military exercises includes a variant of a military conflict and modern views at its prevention and at carrying out defensive actions. “At the first stage of 5 days (September 18-22) preparation for the defensive operation of the regional military task force will take place. The second stage, on 23-29 September, will assess the efficiency of the United Regional Air Defence System in parrying air attacks and conducting coordinated defensive operations,” the ministry informs.
As informed by the press-service, the drills are to involve about 12,600 service personnel, including 5,000-6,000 troops from Russia and 7,000-8,000 from Belarus, and about 30 representatives of Kazakhstan. According to the plan of preparation of the Armed Forces, about 1,800 obligated reservists were called in Belarus, and they are to take part in the exercise as well.
The exercise will use 63 aircraft, 40 helicopters, around 470 armored fighting vehicles, 228 tanks, 234 self-propelled and towed artillery units, mortars and multiple launch rocket systems.
The press-service of the Defence Ministry says that Obuz-Lesnovsky firing range is to become the main site of the drills. Practical actions of the military forces are to be trained there on September 29. “Exercises according to the plan of the Russia's General Staff, to take place in Barysau range separately. Its concept is not related to the West 2009 exercise, and it will take place on September 27-28,” the press-service informs, adding that drills at the territory of Russia (Ashuluk, Telemba) are planned as well.
The democratic forces of Belarus are convinced that the forthcoming exercises pose a threat to independence of Belarus. Such a quantity of Russian troops has never appeared in our country.
As a protest against bringing in of Russian troops, a rally “No to Russian occupation!” was held in Minsk on September 9. Dozens of participants of the rally were arrested and brutally beaten by riot policemen.