MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Units of the Russian Airborne Troops and Belarusian special forces have started a joint tactical exercise at the Brestsky training ground, some 10 km north of the city of Brest on the Belarusian-Polish border, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, the active phase of the exercise, to be held on April 10-12, involves "over 600 personnel and about 100 pieces of military and special hardware, including Mi-8 helicopters of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus."

During the drills, one group of servicemen from the two states parachuted from Mi-8 helicopters; the other arrived at the designated area in armored and military vehicles. Once on the site, they joined forces to detect and defeat a simulated enemy.