The drills have been officially confirmed by the Belarusian defense ministry and are seen as a response to NATO's military presence in the vicinity, public broadcaster Polish Radio's polskieradio24.pl news website has reported.
"The 115th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of the Belarusian army is conducting tactical exercises at the Brest firing range," the Belarusian defense ministry said in a statement, as quoted by polskieradio24.pl.
The Brest training ground near the Polish border has become a focal point for these maneuvers, adding to growing concerns among NATO members over Belarus' military posturing.
The Belarusian defense ministry said "soldiers are shooting at practice targets, operating in a situation as close as possible to combat conditions," with an emphasis on learning from the "experience of the Russian army in the war in Ukraine."
These exercises are part of a broader initiative aimed at assessing the combat readiness of Belarusian forces, with a focus on the western part of the country.
Gen. Viktor Gulevich, a deputy defense minister and chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, said that "the operation is being conducted as a response to exercises by troops from NATO countries near the borders of Belarus."
Further escalating Western concerns, Belarus has also mobilized its 19th Mechanized Brigade, deploying it toward the Lithuanian border, specifically the town of Oshmyany in the Grodno region, according to reports.
An opposition website, Belarusian Hajun, reported the arrival of "50 train cars with soldiers and military equipment," indicating a significant military presence, polskieradio24.pl reported.
It said the Belarusian defense ministry corroborated these movements, sharing photos of T-72B tanks and BMP-2 armored vehicles, among other equipment.
On March 1, Lithuania closed two more border checkpoints with Belarus to reduce the influx of goods and people from that country.
(jh/gs)
Source: polskieradio24.pl