{"id":11492,"date":"2022-11-03T11:11:14","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T08:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/training-centers-seen-as-attempt-to-disguise-russian-military-bases\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"training-centers-seen-as-attempt-to-disguise-russian-military-bases","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11492\/","title":{"rendered":"Training centers seen as attempt to disguise Russian military bases"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t * Reproduction prohibited\n<\/p>\n

\n Belarus and Russia plan to organize joint combat training centers, media reported this week, citing Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s edict authorizing defense officials to negotiate an agreement to that effect. One defense analyst has a theory that Minsk seeks to establish a legal framework for the centers already operating in Belarus.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t However, a member of the opposition\u2019s transition cabinet, Pave\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka, said on November 1 that the training centers would allow Russian troops \u201cto stay in Belarus on a permanent basis and form joint armed forces in the future.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Alaksandr Alesin, a Minsk-based defense analyst, fears that Russia may use the centers to \u201clegalize\u201d the deployment of Iskander M (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers to Belarus. Russian units are already present and continue to arrive in Belarus as part of a joint regional group.\n<\/p>\n

Joint training centers in Belarus, Russia<\/h2>\n

\n\t The defense ministers of Belarus and Russia reached an agreement in March 2021 to set up joint training centers. One center was opened in Belarus to train pilots and missile system operators.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t It comprises two training camps based near Hrodna and in Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region. The Hrodna facility has hosted Russian S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air missile systems since August 2021, while four Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets were deployed to the Baranavi\u010dy airfield in September 2021 and were supposed to be used for training pilots. The Russians have recently rotated staff and aircraft at the Baranavi\u010dy center, Ukrainian intelligence sources reported.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Valeryj Ravienka, an aide to the defense minister, tweeted on October 31 that Belarus hosted two joint training centers, including one for training missile and artillery system operators.\n<\/p>\n

Russia to deploy Iskander M?<\/h2>\n

\n\t Alesin said that the future agreement may lay the groundwork for the transfer of Iskander missile systems to a new, third training center likely to be based in the vicinity of Asipovi\u010dy, Minsk region.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian leader said on February 17 that he would ask Russia to set up a center to train Belarusians to operate Iskander missile systems, noting that he was planning to buy such systems from Russia.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Three months later, he claimed that the deal had been done, and the Belarus had already received Iskander and S-400 systems.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t On June 25, Putin said that Moscow planned to supply Belarus with Iskander M systems capable of firing nuclear-tipped ballistic and cruise missiles.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Iskander M has a range of up to 500 kilometers. Its export is subject to licensing requirements taking into consideration the non-proliferation factors specified in the Missile Technology Control Regime Guidelines.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t However, if Iskander M systems are deployed to the joint training center, they would formally remain Russian property, to which Belarusian servicemen would have access. \u201cThe hybrid pattern of ownership suits both Moscow and \u0141uka\u0161enka,\u201d Alesin said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In a separate development, the Belarusian defense minister said recently that Russia would soon supply Iskander missiles to Belarusian troops. He was referring to the Iskander E, an export version with a range of 280 kilometers, Alesin said. The Iskander E is expected to replace Soviet-made Tochka-U (SS-21 Scarab) tactical ballistic missiles, he added.\n<\/p>\n

Nuclear blackmail<\/h2>\n

\n\t Belarus already hosts two Russian military facilities, the Volga missile early warning radar station near Hancavi\u010dy, Brest region, and the VLF transmitter located near Vilejka, Minsk region. Belarus has recently extended the leases for the two facilities by 25 years.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Belarus and Russia may discuss similar long-term leases for the joint training centers, said Andrej Parotnika\u016d, of Belarus Security Blog.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The centers might be a disguise for Russian hybrid military bases that might store some weapons, including tactical nuclear warheads, he said. The likelihood of nuclear weapons deployment is not high, \u201cbut the war logic changes many things,\u201d Parotnika\u016d told The Viewer<\/span>.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka and Putin also said a few months ago that Russia would modify Belarusian aircraft to carry nuclear missiles. Observers dismissed that and other statements as an element of Russia\u2019s nuclear blackmail.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Konstantin Vorontsov, an official with the Russian foreign ministry, said last month that Russia was planning to transfer Iskander M systems and conventional missiles to Belarus, but was not planning to establish nuclear storage facilities there.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t However, his remarks can hardly be taken seriously. Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian officials claimed that the Russian military presence in Belarus did not exceed the limits set out in the OSCE Vienna Document on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and that the Russian troops would leave after the joint maneuvers. It was confirmed later that the contingent was much bigger than claimed, and most importantly, it went on to attack Ukraine instead of returning to Russia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Belarus and Russia plan to organize joint combat training centers, media reported this week, citing Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s edict authorizing defense officials to negotiate an agreement to that effect. One defense analyst has a theory that Minsk seeks to establish a legal framework for the centers already operating in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-11492","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTraining centers seen as attempt to disguise Russian military bases | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Belarus and Russia plan to organize joint combat training centers, media reported this week, citing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11492\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Training centers seen as 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