OSIPOVICHI, 19 September (BelTA) - The Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 helps address the tasks of enhancing the level of military combat readiness, Colonel of the Russian army Nikolai Bugrovsky told the media after the completion of the second stage of the exercise on the Osipovichsky range on 18 September, BelTA has learned.
Nikolai Bugrovsky stated that such exercises are held every two years in Belarus and Russia on rotation. They are useful for developing combat operations skills and sharing experience. “We jointly work out combat tasks to be ready to repulse an aggressor given any military entry to the Union State,” said the colonel.
He emphasized the defensive character of the exercise. “Our states follow a peacekeeping policy and have no intention of attacking anyone,” Nikolai Bugrovsky said.