EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
– One of the key episodes of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's operational and strategic exercise Combat Brotherhood 2023 was played out in the military training area Brestsky on 6 September, BelTA has learned.
As part of the episode a joint CSTO force had to practice combat actions and special actions in a tactical environment that resembles a real combat situation as much as possible. According to the scenario, the enemy captured several populated localities and established control over certain territory. Sabotage attacks disrupted transportation by rail. Attempts to carry out terrorist attacks were made. The CSTO collective rapid response forces had to block and eliminate an illegal armed group, free the captured territories, capture and disarm militants while working together with border service units and forces and assets of the Internal Affairs Ministry.
During the exercise the troops used drones for reconnaissance and fire adjustment, lightly armored vehicles of Belarusian make (armored personnel carriers, Cayman and Volat vehicles), artillery (D-30 howitzers, Nona-M1 mortars, anti-armor guided missiles). The main forces included units from Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Commander of the Special Operations Forces of Belarus' Armed Forces Vadim Denisenko said: “We've summed up results of the entire Interaction 2023 exercise today, of what we've been practicing for several days, what the collective rapid response forces staff had planned. We've implemented the concept bearing in mind Belarus' terrain: the presence of swamps, rivers, a large number of forests and often impassable ones. We played out an episode involving the destruction of an illegal armed unit and the restoration of order at the state border. All the contingents, which are present during the exercise, were employed. All the missions were carried out. On the whole, there are no remarks about actions of the troops.”
Vadim Denisenko noted that every exercise has some peculiarity. For instance, this time the collective forces practiced airdrops from low altitudes. He also mentioned the smooth coordination of participants of the exercise. “We've already worked out a mechanism when we feel each other's shoulders. First of all, interaction can be evaluated by looking at the work of the collective forces staff. It works as a team, without any disruptions. Everyone understands their role. It is the key. Tasks were formulated correctly. The troops accomplished them together and smoothly,” the officer concluded.
The operational and strategic Collective Security Treaty Organization military exercise Combat Brotherhood is taking place in Belarus on 1-6 September. Joint and special exercises have been planned. They focus on training different components of the CSTO collective forces. The exercises are taking place in military training areas and various locations in Brest Oblast, Grodno Oblast, and Minsk Oblast.