Belarusian troops hold surprise drill near Ukraine’s border

June 21, Pozirk. The Belarusian defense ministry has launched a surprise drill at 9 a.m., following yesterday’s reports of Ukrainian military build-up at the shared border.
It involves operational command, special operations, missile and artillery and air/air defense forces, the ministry said. Activities take place at firing ranges and open terrain in the Brest and Homiel regions that border Ukraine.
Pavieł Muraviejka, General Staff chief and deputy defense minister, said it will be a comprehensive exercise to assess troops’ performance in a rapidly changing situation.
Special operations units have been ordered to move to designated areas to dig trenches, fortify positions and train in “searching for, destroying and blocking mock enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” operating checkpoints and “moving into the designated positions,” he said.
Anti-aircraft missile units are moving into “new position areas” to set up “a system to defend important facilities in endangered areas,” he added.
Missile troops and artillery units equipped with Polonez and BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers will occupy designated areas and be on stand-by, the general said.
Aircraft will be involved to drop off airborne assault units that will support ground operations and protect key air defense facilities.
Belarus holds regular drills amid tension with the West over Russia’s war against Ukraine, in which Minsk supports the Kremlin.

Kyiv downplays Minsk’s border build-up fears
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja discusses political prisoners with French foreign ministerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarusian police accused of torturing former Afghan officerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsPoczobut held in penal colony’s isolation wing amid health declineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityUkraine to try Volyn resident for sharing info with Belarus’ secret serviceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja: Belarus gains unprecedented attention in French foreign policyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSenators approve Belarusian-Russian deal against prosecution abroadThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka, Putin discuss regional situationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Security
- Economy
- SocietyHome tattoo turns fatal for Maładziečna womanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyBelarusians net sellers of foreign currency in January-SeptemberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLithuania scaling back security for Cichanoŭskaja – reportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityOfficials holding four-day mobilization drill across BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: Wargaming co-founder given lengthy prison term in absentiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityPoland, Latvia see sharp rise in illegal entries compared with early October 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus, Oman sign memorandum on pulp and cardboard millThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEU delegation calls for all regime prisoners to be freedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarus, Oman sign visa waiver agreementThe material is available only to POZIRK+