Russian S-400 system arrives in Belarus for joint exercises
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The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces will rehearse reinforcing state border sections in probable locations of "armed gang" unlawful incursion into Belarus during the joint maneuvers.
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S-400 units in Tverskaya Street, Moscow, April 29, 2019, during a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade, which commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. (Reuters)
As part of an inspection of the Union State's Response Force, Russian S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems were moved to Belarus and will go on air defense combat alert, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
According to TASS, in a statement issued today, the ministry said, "S-400 ‘Triumf’ anti-aircraft missile systems of the Eastern Military District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army involved in an inspection of the Union State’s Response Force have arrived in Belarus."
The S-400 anti-aircraft missile system has arrived in the Republic of Belarus.
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) February 3, 2022
From the unloading station, the personnel will march on standard equipment to an unfamiliar training ground in the Brest region https://t.co/GIMlM76Gh4 pic.twitter.com/5Mhsa2xPE6
The ministry said in its statement that the Russian crews of the S-400 surface-to-air missile launchers will go on air defense combat alert upon arriving at the sites where they will be completing their training activities.
Two battalions of S-400 Triumf air defense systems from the Eastern Military District's Air Force and Air Defense Army were transported to Belarus for an inspection of the Union State's Response Force, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Union State forces Inspection
According to TASS, The Russia-Belarus Union State's Response Force will be inspected in two stages. Before February 9, the Belarusian and Russian militaries will rehearse deploying soldiers and forming task forces in risky directions on Belarusian territory in a short amount of time.
During this stage, the troops will practice protecting and defending "critical state and military facilities" and "protecting the state airspace," as well as testing the preparedness and capability of air defense fast reaction alert forces for shielding what the statement "vital facilities."
The Union Resolve 2022 joint drills, which will take place from February 10 to 20, will be the second stage of the inspection, in which the military will "practice fighting and repelling external aggression, countering terrorism and protecting the interests of the Union State."
Drills date was announced in December
On 29 December 2021, at a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled plans to hold joint drill operations between Russia and Belarus in February-March.
"We will conduct it at the beginning of the year, the military will agree there, in March, February, I don’t know when they will decide," Putin said.
From his part, Lukashenko noted that Russia was now taking into consideration his suggestions for exercises in Belarus, saying that their conduct would be useful for the relations of the two countries.
Kyiv deploys 120,000 military forces on Donbas' border: Donetsk
Today, Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic announced that Ukraine has deployed about 120,000 of its military forces on the border with Donbas.
Natalia Nikonorova, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Donetsk confirmed that "Kyiv has moved a large part of its military forces to the borderline of the conflict zone in anticipation of any confrontation with Moscow, in addition to a Western military presence represented by officers from Western countries coordinating with Kyiv."
In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Nikonorova had said the situation on the border that separates the Donbas region from the areas under the control of the Ukrainian army is tense, adding, "But I cannot say that it is escalating further."
