Security forces conduct anti-riot exercise at penal colony

November 21, Pozirk. Police and internal troops have conducted a riot control drill at a penal colony in the Mahiloŭ region as security forces flex their muscles in the run-up to the January 21-26 presidential poll.
“Belarusian law enforcement officers have carefully studied and analyzed foreign experience in responding to mass riots in correctional institutions and have drawn the appropriate conclusions. The main task is to prevent this from happening in our country,” the interior ministry said in its statement.
It quoted Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakoŭ, in charge of the training, as saying that opponents could “try to influence the mindsets of convicts serving their sentences at penal colonies.”
Kubrakoŭ ruled out the possibility of riots in Belarus. “I understand perfectly well that after the exercise, people abroad will say that we are expecting something, that there is tension in society. Nothing like that! Belarus is an island of safety,” he stated.
The drill included a performance by a combined group of officers from of various units.
Apart from Kubrakoŭ, the training was observed by Dźmitryj Hora, chairman of the Investigative Committee; Interior Troops Commander Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ; Aleh Matkin, chief of the Penal Department; and Ihar Ščarbienia, chief of the Mahiloŭ region’s police.
The drill was part of a three-day large scale security exercise being held from November 19 to November 22.
As part of the exercise, security forces in Mahiloŭ also practiced arresting unauthorized rally participants and preventing demonstrators from blocking roads. In addition, OMON riot police and internal troops practiced liberating a populated area from armed militants.
“We preview situations where members of election commission and people in the street may be in danger,” Kubrakoŭ said in a reference to the upcoming poll. “It is necessary to promptly use riot control gear, arms and hardware. We are ready for it.”
On the same day, Committee for State Security (KGB) officers held a drill in Hrodna to test government agencies’ responses to mockup acts of terrorism.
The interior ministry’s exercise included drills in suppressing protests, blocking traffic and arresting dissenters at polling stations.
Security forces also practiced responses to hypothetical attacks on election officials.
Kubrakoŭ said the drills across Belarus were designed to address worst-case scenarios after the ministry had analyzed the 2020 postelection protests.
Last night, security forces reportedly conducted a mock hostage-rescue operation at a Minsk mall.
Meanwhile, the defense ministry reported on November 20 that it deployed officers to the Hožski training ground for marksmanship and close-quarter battle training.

KGB holding counterterrorism drill in city near Poland
- Politics, SecurityDrill: troops repel attack, practice drone controlThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyIndependent media adopt ethical codeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyFive sentenced for setting fire to kiosk in MahiloŭThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus reinforces Ukraine border with new patrol stationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Rubel may strengthen if Ukraine ceasefire agreed, economist saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- EconomyRussia postpones Belarus' $800-million debt repayment until 2031-2036The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB labels Center for New Ideas "extremist group"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsOpposition leader: inauguration is a meaningless formality in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyBiełstat: Belarusian companies’ CapEx up 40 percent in January-FebruaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk pressing criminal charges against 15 RFE/RL journalists in 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyHomiel region leading in TB incidence – health ministryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBySol helps journalist Čyndarava leave BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician meets Zelensky’s aide in KyivThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus introduces e-visas for nationals of 67 countriesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: UN experts call for immediate release of rights defender RabkovaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics
- PoliticsSeven nations join EU sanctions extension on BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus steps up student exchange with HungaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyCentral city left without heating, hot waterThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus' ambassador slams UN experts' critical reportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityUkraine, Russia exchange prisoners of war in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics"State secret" threatens Belarusian activist's asylum in GeorgiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsEuropean court upholds sanctions on Minsk-registered Dana AstraThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- EconomyBiełstat: Hrodna region's economy lagged behind in January - FebruaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyNew PM set to diversify Belarus' exportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+