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Russia, Belarus to hold airborne forces’ drills with live-fire exercise near Brest

The drills aim to practice "inter-operability between units of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia

Mi-8 helicopter Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Mi-8 helicopter

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MINSK, October 11. /TASS/. Belarussian and Russian paratroopers will hold tactical drills with a live-fire exercise at the Brest training range in west Belarus on October 21-25, the press office of Belarus’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday.

"A parachute battalion of the 137th Guards parachute regiment from the 106th airborne division of Russia’s Airborne Force will arrive in Brest on October 12 to take part in the maneuvers," the press office said in a statement.

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An airborne assault battalion of the 38th separate Guards airborne assault brigade with reinforcements will represent Belarus in the drills. In addition, unmanned aerial vehicles, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, Il-76MD and Yak-130 aircraft will represent the air component of the drills.

The drills aim to practice "inter-operability between units of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia," the statement says.

During the joint drills, the paratroopers will negotiate a water obstacle aboard their organic military hardware, make jumps with parachutes, including at night, and also airdrop military equipment and hold a live-fire exercise. Commander of the Belarusian Army’s Special Operations Forces Major-General Vadim Denisenko will supervise the drills.

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