Joint Military Exercises with Russia Have Begun in Belarus

The events are held as part of the Union State reaction forces verification. It is reported that various techniques and methods of combat operations are being practiced. The West fears a subsequent invasion of troops in Ukraine. On Tuesday, February 1, the first stage of the inspection of the reaction forces of the Union State “Union Resolution – 2022” started in Belarus, during which Russian and Belarusian servicemen will work out the fight against illegal formations. “During the stage of combat coordination at the training grounds, issues of conducting defense and combating illegal formations are being worked out,” the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said in a statement. The exercises are held in two stages The maneuvers will be carried out in two stages. At the first one, that is to last until February 9, personnel and equipment will be relocated to Belarus from Russia, several groups of troops will be created and the defense of the most important state facilities, as well as the defense of the air border, will be formed. The second stage of the maneuvers will begin on February 10. The units will have to practice repelling external aggression on the southern and western borders of Belarus. The main phase of the exercises, which will last until February 20, will be held at five training ranges – Hoza, Brest, Damana, Asipovichy  and Obuz-Lesnovsky. Four Belarusian airfields will be used to work out the tasks. Motorized rifle units, artillery crews, crews of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, calculations of anti-tank guided missile systems are involved in the maneuvers. The West expresses concern The Union Resolve exercises are causing concern in the West. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on January 31 that the transfer of Russian troops to Belarus could be used for a subsequent invasion of the territory of Ukraine. Moscow and Minsk deny this claiming that the joint Russian-Belarusian exercises do not pose any threat. DW