The main stage of the joint exercises of the Armed Forces of Russia and Belarus "West-2021" started on September 13 at the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Military personnel from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and India are also involved in the maneuvers. During the exercise, among other things, military scenarios are being worked out to repel the attack of a conditional enemy and to deliver a retaliatory fire strike.
As part of the main stage, it is planned to work out the interaction of Russian and foreign military units. Russia has provided other participants of the exercises with military equipment and weapons to perform practical tasks, REN TV reports.
It is expected that the main stage of the exercises will be visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For the first time, the work of mixed mobile air defense groups to combat drones will be shown at the training ground, after which a division of combat robots "Uran 9"will appear at the training ground.
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 exercises "West-2021". The troops are training at five training grounds in Belarus and nine in Russia, in the Baltic Sea.
On September 10, the active phase of the Russian-Belarusian strategic exercises began. During this time, the military of the Baltic Fleet organized the defense of the sea coast and the operation of landing a marine landing with the involvement of the marines of the Northern Fleet. The military events took place on the territory of the Khmelevka training ground, located in the Kaliningrad region. The landing took place with the support of Su-30SM fighters and Su-24 BF bombers.
In addition, for the first time in Russia, a mass landing of more than 600 military personnel in full equipment was carried out at night. The landing was carried out by the Pskov airborne unit. In addition to the personnel, 30 units of military equipment were landed.
For their part, the crews of the aircraft of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) together with the aviation of the Western Military District (ZVO) at the joint exercises "West-2021" worked out a massive bombing strike. The exercises were held at a training ground in the Smolensk region.
So, the crews of long-range Tu-22m3 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces and Su-34 ZVO used aerial bombs on targets that designated armored vehicles, concrete shelters and camouflaged command posts of a potential enemy. In total, about 20 aircraft of operational-tactical and long-range aviation were involved in the flights.
The Zapad-2021 exercises are the final stage of joint training of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation this year. They will last until September 16.
