NOVOROSSIYSK, June 27. /TASS/. A group of 57 military diplomats from 42 countries around the world has gathered for the final phase of the joint Russian-Belarussian-Serbian exercise Slavic Brotherhood-2018 in Novorossiysk, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Paratroops from Russia, Belarus and Serbia will practice joint operations to form and use a joint tactical group for peace-keeping and counter-terrorist operations.
"On Wednesday, 57 military attaches from 42 countries around the world arrived at the Rayevsky proving ground in Novorossiysk in the capacity of observers to watch the active phase of the exercise. The military attaches are from countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. Among them there are representatives of some NATO countries - Latvia, Norway, Poland, Canada, Turkey, Germany and Britain," the Defense Ministry’s press-service has said.
According to the scenario, illegal armed groups have seized border areas and are holding local civilians hostage. A Russian-Belarussian-Serbian force is expected to neutralize the terrorists, free the hostages and provide humanitarian assistance.
Russia is represented by a reinforced airborne battalion of 700. Belarus has delegated a contingent of 250 from the special operations force, and Serbia’s commando brigade, a group of 50. Also participating in the exercise are front-line and army aviation of the Aerospace Force and Air Defense of the Southern Military district, as well as Ilyushin-76MD transport planes.
New types of armored vehicles are being used in the exercise for the first time.