Belarusian Defense Minister Andrey Ravkov told reporters on Monday that Belarus will host joint military exercises with Russian on Belarusian soil involving 3,000 troops from both sides and hundreds of military vehicles. Approximately 25 aircraft will also take part.
The minister said Moscow plans to send about 3,000 military and about 280 items of military equipment for the joint drills to be held in Belarus. “Aircraft, involving up to 25 Russian military planes, will also take part in the drills,” he said.
“Everything is going as planned,” the minister noted. “The scope of this exercise is enromous – from the Kola direction in the Arctic zone to Belarus.”
“The total number of troops that will be involved in the exercise will not exceed the parameters stipulated by the Vienna document of 2011, no more than 13,000 military,” he specified, reported Russian state media agency TASS.
Belarusian President Alexandre Lukashenko stated the drills were aimed at training the regional group of forces that protect the territory of the Union State of Russia and Belarus on its western periphery. He also said NATO observers will be invited to the exercises.
“We will send invitations 50 days prior to the exercise’s launch. The requirements requested by the western partners will be met,” said the Defense Minister.
