ULYANOVSK, March 18. /TASS/. A composite peacekeeping unit of Russian and Belarusian paratroopers repelled a notional enemy’s attack on an observation post during joint drills on the Polivno training ground near Ulyanovsk, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Under the drills’ scenario, an armed grouping that refused to surrender arms and accept the truce terms made an attack on an observation post to destabilize the situation and seize the peacekeepers’ armament," the ministry said.
The troops eliminated the enemy from open and sheltered fire positions, using fourth-generation BMD-4M and BTR-MDM ‘Rakushka’ airborne infantry fighting vehicles, 120mm Sani mortars, AK-74M assault rifles, PKM and Pecheneg machine-guns, RPG-7D grenade launchers and also sniper rifles, it specified.
"In order to prevent the observation post’s outflanking, servicemen of the Brest Guards air assault formation of the Belarusian forces were deployed to the area who blocked the militants’ movement. Teams of Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 unmanned aerial vehicles were employed to search for militant groups," the ministry said.
Exercise Supervisor, Commander of an Ulyanovsk air assault formation Guards Colonel Vladimir Seliverstov told reporters that the paratroopers from Russia and Belarus had exchanged useful experience during the joint drills.
"Our joint operations are quite coherent. Speaking about our joint drills, I highly appreciate the level of individual skills, coherence of the Belarusian side, their qualitative and conscientious fulfilment of the task," he said.
Belarusian representative, Deputy Commander of the 38th Air Assault Brigade, Airborne Training Head Guards Colonel Vladimir Gnedchik told reporters that the paratroopers from Belarus had gained extensive experience during the joint drills.
"Our unit was accomplishing the task of protecting vital facilities, repelling illegal armed formations and taking measures against provocations. The situation is quite complex and unusual for us. That is why, I believe that we have gained big experience. We will subsequently use it in the joint drills of collective peacekeeping forces in accomplishing peacekeeping tasks not only this year but also next year and further on," he said.
Overall, the drills have brought together about 500 paratroopers, around 100 items of combat and special hardware of the Ulyanovsk separate Guards air assault formation and about 80 Belarusian servicemen of a Guards air assault special operations unit from Brest.
The active phase of this year’s first joint Russian-Belarusian tactical peacekeeping drills is running on the Polivno training ground in the Ulyanovsk Region on March 16-19.