World news

Participants of the live-fire exercise Combat Commonwealth 2015 for the united CIS air defense system have successfully accomplished their missions.

The active phase of the third stage of the Combat Commonwealth 2015 exercise ended in the Russian exercise area Ashuluk on 10 September. During the exercise various tactical episodes were played out with regard to the joint deployment of the coalitional air force and air defense units of the CIS states in collective security areas during counter-terrorism operations and armed conflicts.

In particular, the united CIS air defense system units practiced tactical actions to stop the enemy's air recon operations and prevent terrorist groups, weapons and materiel from being transported by air. The troops also practiced ways to repulse massed and solitary missile and air strikes directed against defense installations, the infrastructure and the personnel.

A complicated target environment was prepared to simulate a combat situation that resembles the real one as closely as possible. State-of-the-art missiles were used to imitate the enemy's high-precision weaponry.

The Belarusian army was represented by two air defense missile batteries of the 120th brigade and two air defense missile batteries of the 15th brigade as well as five MiG-29 fighter jets of the 61st airbase. About 400 Belarusian military personnel took part in the exercise.

The live-fire exercise Combat Commonwealth 2015 gathered air defense units from the armies of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. A total of some 4,000 military personnel and 200 combat vehicles and weapon systems were involved in the exercise.

Belarus and Russia signed a contract during the Russia Arms Expo in Nizhny Tagil. In line with the contract Belarus will buy a batch of armored personnel carriers BTR-82A, learned from Major-General Sergei Simonenko, First Deputy Chief of Armaments of the Belarusian army.

The officer said: “Today we and the Russian side have signed the contract to buy modern armored vehicles BTR-82A for the Belarusian army.”

The APCs will be delivered to the Belarusian army's ground forces in 2016. “These vehicles can accomplish a number of tasks in a highly effective manner, this is why our army has a strong interest in them,” explained the Major-General.

The Military Industrial Company (OOO VPK) develops and makes these armored personnel carriers in Russia. The company also offers new-generation APCs Bumerang.

The Belarusian team finished second in the first military sports games of the friendly armies of the CIS member states. They were held in Moscow from 24 July to 1 August and were dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.

The sports delegation of the Armed Forces of Belarus included 56 soldiers who took part in the competitions in eight sports: hand-to-hand combat, military pentathlon, weight lifting, judo, military combined events, summer officers triathlon, shooting, and the competition for commanders.

The Belarusian team won 7 gold, 18 silver and 13 bronze medals.

The event was attended by over 300 military men from six countries.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus reported that the special exercise of signal troops of the Military Forces will take place on July, 27-31 according to the Military Forces  training plan 2014/2015.

         It was also stated that the main scope of the exercise is increase of the fighting efficiency level of the control units and signal troops in terms of providing the signal troops and system organized deployment. Sustained functioning for the purposes of Armed Forces control, systematic and efficient preparation for the joint operational exercise “Union Shield-2015” is among the main purposes of the exercise.

         It was also clarified that  the training is the final practical stage of the Signal Troops preparation to this exercise. Upgraded communication system based on new and modernized communication devices and systems used by the Armed Forces will be deployed, whereas analog devices and systems will be used as back up.

         As part of the exercise, it’s planned to practice the interoperability of the Armed Forces Communication system with common telecommunication network and territorial communication system of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. The main issues will be considered at Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brest and Borisov training areas as well as at permanent deployment sites.

          Communications Division military officers of Western military district of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are expected to take part in the exercise for the purpose of  experience exchange of organization of military preparation and cooperation. 

The representatives of Military-Industrial Complex of Belarus and Russia are intent upon complete involvement of the mechanisms of Belarusian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation, - informed Press Service of the State Military-Industrial Committee of the Republic of Belarus. 

The agency explained that the Russian delegation in the composition of the Director of the Federal Service on Military – Technical Cooperation Mr. A. Fomin, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Mr. A. Potapov and General Director of OJSC “Rosoboronexport” Mr. A. Isaykin on 14-15 July made a working visit to the city of Minsk and held negotiations with the Chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee Mr. S. Gurulev. 

"During the negotiations the Parties carried out the analysis of the current state of military-technical cooperation between Belarus and Russia paying special attention to the conceptual approaches for its further development in midterm, as well as discussed and came up to the order of coordination and interaction with respect to military-technical cooperation with third countries.  In order to add dynamic to the solution of these tasks the Parties offer to involve in full volume mechanisms of activity of Belarusian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation", - mentioned in the Press Service of the State Military-Industrial Committee.

Development of cooperation ties between two-state organizations, as well as formulation of the effective mechanisms for more complete involvement of economic, production and scientific-technological potential for cooperation extension became a separate issue for negotiations.

A Minutes of working session was signed following the results of the negotiations held.