Russian, Belarusian pilots training to attack airfields

January 19, BPN. Aircraft crews from the regional group of forces have started the second stage of the drills, the defense ministry’s press office reported.

An A-50 early warning and control aircraft was to take off from the Mačuliščy military airfield to perform aerial reconnaissance and coordinate the movements of multi-purpose fighters, it said.

Aircraft were expected to take off from the Baranavičy airfield to practice protecting key state and military facilities, the ministry added.

“Air units from the Lida airfield are practicing fighting enemy air defenses as well as strikes on airfields and helipads of the hypothetical adversary,” the ministry said. Search and rescue arrangements are made for the evacuation of air units, while the engineering units are preparing aircraft for combat use, it added.

Russia and Belarus vowed to set up the regional group of forces last October. The regional group troops completed combat coordination on January 6, while personnel, weapons, vehicles and equipment of the Russian Armed Forces continued arriving in Belarus.

Joint Belarusian-Russian air and tactical drills started on January 16 and will continue until February 1.

The drills are taking place amid ongoing Russia’s war against Ukraine. Authorities in Minsk denied Belarusian troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops to attack Ukraine from its territory on multiple occasions.