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19 Sep 2017

Counterattacking in focus of Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017

MINSK, 19 September (BelTA) – Counterattacking is practiced as part of the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 today, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Defense Ministry website.

The second stage of the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 continues. During this stage the army units practice managing troops and assets in a rapidly changing situation in addition to organizing interaction and all kinds of support for the sake of accomplishing their missions.

In the Borisovsky and Osipovichsky exercise areas units of the regional military force are busy destroying an attacking enemy force and staging a counterattack to regain the previous position. Combined arms units are supported by artillery fire and aerial strikes. Air defense units are charged with protecting command posts, fire emplacements, and defense areas.

In the Lepelsky exercise areas troops are practicing blocking and eliminating an illegal armed group using live fire.

The other army units are carrying out their pre-assigned missions — combat duty in an engagement envelope for missile troops, aerial reconnaissance in the responsibility area for troops operating unmanned aerial units.

A mixed unit of the 115th Air Defense Missile Regiment consisting of one battalion of S-300 air defense missile systems and an attached battery of Osa missile systems is working together with battlefield air defense units in the Domanovo exercise area to repulse aerial strikes.

In the course of this episode of the exercise the air defense units operating Osa-AKM air defense missile systems will have to destroy simulated aerial targets at low altitudes. The battalion of S-300PS air defense missile systems will have to protect the army units from the enemy’s aerial threats. Live ammunition will be fired at targets posing as guided missiles and attack helicopters.

Special operations forces of the Belarusian army are busy reconnoitering using reserve forces in order to find sabotage and reconnaissance forces of the imaginary enemy in specific areas, including using airborne inspection teams.

A recon unit of the 103rd Guards Airborne Brigade will have to use Moskit drones and a radio warfare station in order to determine locations and movement routes of the imaginary enemy with a certain degree of precision. The recon data will then be used by an air assault company to block and destroy the enemy units.

In the Losvido exercise area units of the 38th Guards Airborne Brigade will have to stop saboteurs from accessing a secure facility (part of a trunk gas pipeline) and destroy it.

The day before the Zapad 2017 exercise entered its active phase. Staffs of various levels continue practicing troops control in mobile defense. Data about the situation are collected, summarized, and analyzed. Decisions are made to adjust missions of specific army units. The troops are working hard to complete training missions.

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 are 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 are used for the exercise.

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

 

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