MINSK, March 19. /TASS/. Comprehensive exercises involving troops of the Western Operational Command of Belarus are being held from March 19 to 25 as part of a combat readiness inspection, the country’s Defense Ministry press service reported.

"From March 19 to 25, a comprehensive exercise with troops of the Western Operational Command is being conducted under the direction of Major General Pavel Muraveiko, Chief of the Belarusian General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister," the statement reads.

According to Muraveiko, "the exercise is one of the main events in the ongoing combat readiness inspection and is purely defensive in nature." "The drill scenario is based on the latest military-political situation, as well as military art achievements in terms of the warfare means development and current trends in the conduct of combat in modern military conflicts," he noted.