{"id":204249,"date":"2026-09-17T16:38:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T13:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/204249\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T16:49:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T13:49:23","slug":"nato-attaches-saw-for-themselves-that-drill-in-western-belarus-is-defensive-ministry-says","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/204249\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO attach\u00e9s saw for themselves that drill in western Belarus is defensive, ministry says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (MoD)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

September 17, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Military diplomats accredited in Belarus, including representatives of five NATO member states, \u201cwere able to see for themselves\u201d the \u201cstrictly defensive nature\u201d of the Western Operational Command\u2019s ongoing command staff exercise, the defense ministry said on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the ministry, military attach\u00e9s from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey and the United States observed the exercise, which is designed to \u201cenhance the ability of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus to ensure the protection of the state\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attach\u00e9s observed Belarusian troops as they trained coordination between aviation and motorized rifle units, the ministry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Western Operational Command launched the four-day exercise near Belarus\u2019 western border on September 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ho\u017ea and Ru\u017eany training grounds in the Hrodna and Brest regions, respectively, as well as a range in Brest, are hosting the maneuvers. The Ho\u017ea training ground is located right next to the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, while the sites in the Brest region are about 15 and 60 kilometers from the border with Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe drill program does not include offensive operations,\u201d said Pavie\u0142 Muraviejka, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, was quoted as saying on Tuesday. \u201cTherefore, any speculation, discussion or claims that the Belarusian Armed Forces are allegedly preparing to launch an offensive against neighboring countries are completely baseless and have no factual basis\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk did not disclose the number of troops, saying only that the number of participants and major weapon systems involved in the drill does not exceed the notification limits set out in the 2011 Vienna Document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian army has been conducting exercises non-stop amid tensions with the West and Russia\u2019s full-scale war against Ukraine, in which Minsk supports Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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