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Russian military units arrive in Belarus for West 2017 military drill

The number of drill participants who came from Russia is 3,100 people

MINSK, September 14. /TASS/. All Russian military units have arrived to Belarus to take part in the West 2017 military exercise and are carrying out the set tasks, Belarusian Defense Ministry Spokesman Vladimir Makarov told a TASS reporter on Thursday.

"Military units involved in the drill, including the Russian ones, are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and have already started performing the set tasks," the Defense Ministry’s spokesman noted.

"The number of drill participants who came from Russia is 3,100 people, as earlier reported," Makarov added.

That’s how the ministry’s spokesman commented on the reports from the Russian military on deployment of Russian military units, including a separate tank brigade of the Western Military District’s 1st guards tank army, for participation in the maneuvers that kicked off on Thursday.

The West 2017 wide-ranging strategic exercise started on Thursday in Russia and Belarus. Tactical events, that involve field firing, aviation and anti-aircraft forces, will be held at three Russian ranges (Luzhsky, Strugi Krasnye and Pravdinsky) and six Belarusian ranges (Lepelsky, Losvido, Borisovsky, Osipovichesky, Ruzhansky and Domanovsky), as well as in the Dretun area.

The maneuvers involve up to 12,700 serviceman (about 7,200 from Belarus and about 5,500 from Russia), about 70 planes and helicopters, up to 680 military equipment units, including around 250 tanks, up to 200 weapons, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars and 10 ships. The exercise will run until September 20.