The Belarusian MoD announced that a joint battalion tactical group of Russian paratroopers and Belarusian SSO/SOF parachuted from Russian Il-76 aircraft at the the Gozhsky range in Belarus as a readiness check amidst the buildup near Belarus' border.
t.me/modmilby/9352
The Gozhsky range is in northwestern Belarus near Grodno and the borders with both Lithuania and Poland. During Zapad, Russian and Belarusian paratroopers conducted airborne exercises at the Brestky range near Poland but with notice. This is certainly not a routine exercise. 2/
The press release states that the joint force will practice capturing and holding a bridgehead, as well as searching for and destroying sabotage/recon groups and illegal armed formations before returning to their permanent bases. 3/
Yesterday, Lukashenko suggested that Russian and Belarusian troops would help protect Belarus' borders. 4/
Russian and Belarusian VDV/SOF forces conducted a number of joint training exercises, including airborne and air assault, as part of the Zapad 2021 exercise in September. So they clearly don't need to conduct a readiness check for training purposes. 5/
Yesterday, Russia sent two Tu-160 strategic bombers to conduct a patrol over Belarus, which included simulating a bombing run over a Belarusian training range and an escort from Belarusian Su-30SM fighters. 6/
And two days ago, Russia sent two Tu-22M3 bombers to fly over Belarus. 7/
Looks as though we may see live-fire exercises at two Belarusian training ranges near the border with Poland. 8/
Photo from the Belarusian MoD of the joint Russian-Belarusian airborne operation in northwestern Belarus. Of course, they could have conducted this exercise at another range far from Belarus' border with NATO members if this was just about training. 9/
mil.by/ru/news/141509/
Meanwhile, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov are in Paris today for a meeting with their French counterparts. I'm sure they'll have much to discuss. 10/
function.mil.ru/news_page/coun…
Photos of the joint Russian-Belarusian airborne exercise at the Gozhsky training area in northwestern Belarus. 11/
t.me/modmilby/9364
Photos of the joint Russian-Belarusian airborne exercise at the Gozhsky training area in northwestern Belarus. 12/
t.me/modmilby/9364
Meanwhile, two Belgian F-16 are being scrambled to meet two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers that may fly near Dutch airspace. The bombers are currently being escorted by the Norwegian Air Force. 13/
Video of a Russian Il-76 aircraft taking off with Russian paratroopers who took part in today’s airborne exercise. 14/
t.me/zvezdanews/603…
Video from today's Russian-Belarusian airborne exercise at the Gozhsky training area in northwestern Belarus. 15/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202111121…
Video of Sergei Shoigu and Sergei Lavrov in Paris today. 16/
t.me/tass_agency/87…
Sergie Shouigu during his meeting with French officials, "It is important to jointly analyze security problems in order to agree steps toward deescalating the situation in Europe and preventing incidents during military activities," 17/
tass.com/defense/1360705
Two Russian paratroopers were killed while parachuting during the airborne exercise in Belarus. 18/
militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=…
The Belarusian MoD said that both paratroopers' parachutes failed because of a strong gust of wind and they didn't have time to deploy their reserves. 19/
tass.com/defense/1360889
Video of today's joint Russian-Belarusian airborne exercise today at the Gozhsky training area in northwestern Belarus. 20/
The Russian MoD said the Russian paratroopers who took part in today's exercise are already headed back to Russia. 21/
tass.com/defense/1360827
Another video of today's joint Russian-Belarusian airborne exercise today at the Gozhsky training area in northwestern Belarus. 22/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202111121…
Video showing the two Russian paratroopers colliding in the air, which caused their deaths. 23/
t.me/bazabazon/8725
Putin suggested the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 bomber flights over Belarus were routine and not associated with the migrant crisis but Russia's 1st Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN said they were in response to NATO's buildup. 24/
life.ru/p/1449581
tvzvezda.ru/news/202111120…
Lukashenko said he needed several Iskander-M missile system battalions from Russia (he's not going to get them). 25/
militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=…
militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=…
One of the two paratroopers killed during the airborne exercise in Belarus was Ruslan Smirnov, an officer from the spetsnaz company from one of the VDV’s divisions (presumably 76th). He previously served as a conscript with the 45th Spetsnaz Brigade. 26/
t.me/ok_spn/15492
The other Russian paratrooper from the 175th Reconnaissance Battalion of the 76th Air Assault Division killed during the airborne exercise in Belarus last week was Tomas-Valdas Petrauskas. He previously served in the 336th Naval Infantry Brigade. 27/
vk.com/russian_sof?w=…
The Belarusian MoD said they launched a joint air patrol with Russian and Belarusian Su-30SM fighters. I wonder if this is with the Su-30SM fighters Russia deployed to Belarus' Baranovichi airfield as part of the combat training center in September. 28/
tass.com/defense/1366409
Video of those Russian Su-30SM fighters deployed to Belarus in September. If this patrol was conducted with these fighters, it is pretty clear they have an operational role in Belarus, and aren't just there for training. 29/
And they did have an operational role during the Zapad exercise. 30/
The Belarusian MoD also said they would increase the number of fighter patrols in response to the increased number of foreign aircraft flights near their border. 31/
mil.by/ru/news/141967/
The Belarusian MoD said Russian and Belarusian Su-30SM fighters conducted another joint patrol in Belarus. 32/
mil.by/ru/news/142042/
Video from today’s joint Belarusian-Russian aerial patrol over Belarus with Su-30SM fighters. 33/
t.me/modmilby/9737
Lukashenko said he would ask Russia to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus if NATO deploys nuclear weapons in Poland. 34/
ria.ru/20211130/oruzh…
Belarusian SOBR officers detained 11 people who made “offensive comments” about the death of the two Russian paratroopers during the joint airborne exercise in Belarus on November 12 on social media. 35/
tass.ru/obschestvo/130…
t.me/milinfolive/73…
The Belarusian MoD said Russian and Belarusian fighters conducted another joint flight over Belarus. 36/
mil.by/ru/news/142197/
tass.com/defense/1372001
Video of that joint air patrol over Belarus with Russian and Belarusian fighters. 37/
t.me/modmilby/9866
The Belarusian MoD said Belarusian and Russian Su-30SM fighters conducted another joint patrol over Belarus. 38/
t.me/modmilby/10026
The Russian MoD said two Tu-22M3 bombers conducted an aerial patrol over Belarus with an escort from Russian and Belarusian Su-30SM fighters. 39/
tass.com/defense/1377573
Video of the two Russian Tu-22M3 bombers conducting an aerial patrol over Belarus with an escort from Russian and Belarusian Su-30SM fighters. 40/
t.me/modmilby/10096
The Belarusian MoD said Belarusian and Russian fighters conducted another joint patrol over Belarus. 41/
t.me/modmilby/10364
Putin said Russia and Belarus will conduct more joint exercises in early 2022. 42/
tass.com/defense/1382377
Lavrov: "The updated Military Doctrine of the Union State...will undoubtedly be an important contribution to this. It takes full account of the significant changes in the politico-military situation in Eastern Europe in recent years." 43/
mid.ru/en/foreign_pol…
Russian and Belarusian Su-30SM fighters conducted another joint aerial patrol over Belarus yesterday. 44/
t.me/modmilby/10428
Alexander Lukashenko approved the concept for a joint Russian-Belarusian training exercise to be held in February along Belarus' southern and Western borders, adding to the tension near Ukraine. 45/
t.me/belta_telegram…
46/
I'm not sure if Russia would chose to invade from Belarus, but MLRS and artillery based in Belarus could strike targets along Ukraine's northern border, including outside Kyiv, with cheaper munitions. 47/
And Russia could also deploy electronic warfare systems closer to Kyiv by deploying them into Belarus. 48/
49/
At a minimum, a large deployment of Russian forces in Belarus means that Kyiv would have to divert forces to protect from that direction. With the threat of an amphibious landing, they also have to defend the southern coast. That means fewer forces to defend the N/NE border. 50/
51/
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.