BRESTSKY RANGE, June 6. /TASS/. The opening ceremony for the joint anti-terror drills dubbed ‘Slavic Brotherhood-2017’ has kicked off today at the Brestsky Range, Belarus. Belarusian Special Operations Commander and Commander-Maneuver, Major General Vadim Denisenko, congratulated the representatives of the Russian, Belarusian and Serbian Armed Forces.

Russian Deputy Commander-Maneuver, Colonel Alexey Sgibnev, noted that "a multinational battalion task group has been formed for the first time in the history of the Slavic Brotherhood joint drills, consisting of Russian, Belarusian and Serbian servicemen, that will conduct counter-terrorist exercises as part of a peace-keeping operation."

Sgibnev highlighted that the forthcoming military exercises of the Russian, Belarusian and Serbian soldiers within a united task group indicates that "the three states have achieved a closer cooperation and are preparing to fight together the greatest evil of our time - international terrorism."

Sgibnev said about the establishment of a multinational battalion task group on June 5. He said that the group consists of four company task groups, including Russian, Belarusian and Serbian platoons.

"A Russian officer became the commander of the 1st company, a Serbian officer, the commander of the 2nd company and Belarusian officers, the commanders of the third and fourth companies," he specified.

Over 300 servicemen from Russia’s Pskov Air Assault Division of the Airborne Forces, over 400 servicemen from Belarus’ Air Assault Brigade of the Special Operations Forces and 50 servicemen from Serbia’s Special Brigade are taking part in the 2017 Slavic Brotherhood military exercises. Russian Il-76MD military strategic airlifters and Belarusian planes and helicopters are taking part in the exercises. The active maneuvering stage of the drills will run until June 14.