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Certain units of Belarusian army to be placed on high alert, says Defense Ministry

The check will end with a tactical exercise, the ministry added

© Natalia Fedosenko/TASS

MINSK, August 24./TASS/. Certain units of the Belarusian Armed Forces will be placed on full alert during the third stage of checking the army readiness that began on Monday, the press service of the Defense Ministry said.

"During the check, certain military units are to be placed on full alert with the mobilization of reservists," the ministry added.

According to the Defense Ministry, the check "will assess the capability and readiness of military units to carry out the designated tasks in the dynamically changing environment during the day and at night, and activity to improve the military proficiency of troops [will be carried out]". The check will end with a tactical exercise, the ministry added.

The Belarusian army will hold large-scale drills under the direction of the Western Operational Command’s chief on August 28-31, the republic’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"An integrated grouping of forces has been set up to hold a comprehensive tactical exercise. It comprises Airborne Force, motor rifle, armored and artillery units and also the squads of unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic warfare systems," the Defense Ministry said.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko earlier instructed the Defense Ministry to closely follow NATO forces’ movements in Poland and Lithuania and put the troops on high alert on the country’s western borders, noting the escalation of tension in the region.

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin issued an order on August 19 to beef up the grouping of forces in the Grodno area with the battalions of tactical missiles and multiple rocket launchers and with a squad of drones and air defense systems.

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