President and Commander-in-Chief of the Belarusian army Alyaksandr Lukashenka is observing the active phase of the strategic army exercise Zapad 2017 at Barysauski training ground on Wednesday.
He visited an auxiliary command post of the Belarusian-Russian regional military force and an auxiliary command post of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the Western Military District of Russia’s Armed Forces.
The Belarusian leader checked out a portable post of the commander-in-chief of the regional military force. The Belarusian-made armoured vehicle is fitted with cutting-edge communications in order to command the troops directly on the move.
“Good job! It took a little time to design such a good system,” he stressed.
The combined armed forces are practicing working together to repulse an enemy assault, to counter-attack and defeat the imaginary enemy.
The state secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota and Russian Ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov are keeping Lukashenka’s company in watching the war game. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who was to come, is not present for an unknown reason.
Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin was also expected to arrive in Belarus. Bit after the drills kicked off, it became known that he would not come.
“We reached an agreement that since the main action will take place here [in Belarus] while a lot of action will take place in Leningrad region, the president of Russia will keep an eye on the wargames in the north while I will do the same in the center,” said Lukashenka.
However, Belarusian political analyst Arsen Sivitsky believes that the two leaders are not meeting this time because Russia cannot count on Belarus’ support.
According to Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the goal of the maneuvers has been achieved.
“We have fully performed all the tasks,” he said.
belsat.eu following BelTA, photos by president.gov.by, tut.by
