Łukašenka accuses Western intelligence of airspace violations as Belarus steps up military drills

September 11, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has accused Western countries of directing “aggressive rhetoric at Belarus” during his visit to the Abuz-Lasnoŭski training ground near Baranavičy in the Brest region, which hosts five-day military maneuvers, his press office reports.

The politician said Belarus was facing more open reconnaissance efforts, with provocations and airspace violations.

“Our neighbors are spending billions of dollars today to arm their military,” Łukašenka said. “This is occurring openly. Not only are they conducting exercises near the border, but they are also creating new units and armies that are being deployed along the Belarusian border. What is this?”

The Belarusian ruler reiterated that the authorities need to “prepare for war in order to avoid it,” while stressing that Minsk “has no intention of attacking anyone” and “must always be ready to respond appropriately if something were to happen.”

Pavieł Muraviejka, chief of the General Staff, said that signal troops started a five-day drill on September 7 to test the military’s ability to maintain stable command and control. The previously unreported drill runs through September 11.

Elsewhere in southern Belarus, Belarusian and Kazakh scouts were deployed on September 10 for a two-day training session as part of an exercise codenamed Forest Brotherhood-2026 that started on September 6. The scouts are practicing ambush tactics, cache search, deployments and operations to eliminate illegal armed groups with regular troops acting as the mock enemy.

Scouts were expected to cover a distance of about 40 kilometers in the woody and marshy area of the Brest and Małaryta districts, both bordering Ukraine. The Brest district also borders Poland.

Meanwhile, Belarusian Air/Air Defense units are taking part in an operational-tactical exercise at Russia’s Ashuluk training ground. The three-day maneuvers in Russia are the second phase of a drill that began in Belarus, with the first phase held from August 25 to 28.

Andrej Łukjanovič, Belarus’ air/air defense commander, said the main tasks for aircraft and air defense crews were to detect, track and engage air targets, with a particular focus on countering drones and precision-guided cruise missiles.

At Ashuluk, Belarusian missile crews also performed S-300PS live-fire surface-to-air missile launches, while Yak-130 light combat aircraft and Su-30SM fighter crews engaged simulated aerial targets, according to the ministry.

The Belarusian army is regularly conducting drills amid tensions with the West and Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, in which Minsk supports Moscow.

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Belarusian air/air defense crews trained to shoot down drones in Russia

September 11, Pozirk. Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense units participated in operational-tactical exercises at one of Russia’s training grounds, the Belarusian defense ministry reports, without specifying the exact location. Its earlier report, however, mentioned the Ashuluk training ground in …

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