At the Baranovichi airfield in the Brest region of Belarus, as part of the creation of a training and combat center for joint training of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Belarusian Air Force and air defense forces, the crews of Russian Su-30SM fighters took up joint combat duty to protect the air borders of the Union State. This was announced on Friday, September 10, according to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
The ministry noted that the flight crew is ready to perform a full range of tasks, including intercepting air targets, forcing border-violating aircraft to land.
The engineering and technical staff performed all the complex training of aviation equipment for combat duty.
Earlier, on Friday, as part of the joint training of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus, the joint strategic exercise "West-2021"was launched. On the same day, 15 ships and boats, as well as support vessels of the Baltic Fleet, left their permanent bases during the exercise and went to the designated areas of the Baltic Sea to perform practical tasks. The warships in the tactical groups will have to work out tasks on anti-submarine and anti-aircraft defense, mine support, as well as perform rocket and artillery firing at various types of targets that simulate sea and air targets.
The practical actions of the troops began simultaneously at nine training grounds located on the territory of Russia, in the Baltic Sea, as well as at five training grounds in Belarus in the period from 10 to 16 September 2021.
About 200 thousand military personnel, more than 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 760 units of military equipment, including more than 290 tanks, more than 240 guns, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, as well as up to 15 ships participate in the strategic exercise "West-2021".
The joint strategic exercise of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and Belarus takes place every two years in accordance with the decision taken by the presidents of both states. The Zapad-2021 exercise is the final stage of joint training of the armed forces of the two countries this year.
