Russian paratroopers involved in Crimea annexation taking part in war game in Belarus

An opening ceremony of joint battalion tactical exercises of the Belarusian and Russian paratroopers has taken place at Brestski training ground (Brest region) on Monday.

About 450 military and up to 70 military equipment pieces are involved in the war game, state-run news agency BelTA reports. The Belarusian side is presented by units of the 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade of Special Operations Forces. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry has different data – 600 servicemen and about 100 military vehicles.

Russia has sent the 76th Guards Air Assault Division of Airborne Troops to the exercise and reinforced it by an engineering department. Weapons and equipment are provided by the Belarusian side. According to the legend, the task of the military involved is to identify, block and destroy an illegal armed group that has captured and is holding an important strategic object.

“In the course of the exercise we are going to check the coherence of units. We should be able to work and act together, to understand orders properly. In addition, we are interested in the fighting experience of our Russian colleagues,” said Colonel Dzmitry Sobal, Commander of the 38th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade.

The active phase of the exercises will be held in April 10-12 at Brestski training ground. Interestingly, the Russians arrived in Brest as far back as April, 2. It has not been reported about the activities they have been involved in over the past week.

Pskov paratroopers take part in military exercises in Belarus on a regular basis.

It should be noted the Pskov-based 76th Guards Air Assault Division was involved in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, two Chechen wars as well as the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Its troops were also spotted in Donbas. In August 2014, president Vladimir Putin awarded the division with the Suvorov Order for ‘successfull completion of combat missions’.

КА, belsat.eu