How the troops of the Glubokoye district prepared for the "West-2017" exercises

The goal is to test the capabilities of the participating parties in ensuring the security of the Union State in the western direction, their readiness to repel potential aggression, and to improve the coordination of military command bodies, field and air training of formations and military units. Therefore, artillery salvos are heard at the training grounds, including in the Vitebsk region, and infantry, tanks, and aircraft are performing various special tasks.

Glubokoye also became one of the training grounds. Over 160 people have been mobilized in the district – reservists assigned to staff command bodies and territorial defense units.

However, unlike the regular army, they have different tasks, so the usual way of life in the district center has practically not changed. The correspondent of "VV", who visited the territorial defense rifle battalion formed on the eve of the maneuvers, was convinced of this.

Defend oneself and loved ones

A feature of modern warfare is the widespread use of terrorist forms and methods of influence. Therefore, a new perspective on ensuring the country's military security is that in the future, the main threat may come not only from regular armies but also from various criminal and other extremist organizations whose participants are united into certain structures.

Aggressors primarily aim to combat the population of their chosen adversary as a resource that ensures defensive actions. Consequently, the well-being of every citizen directly depends on their ability and readiness to protect their family, home, and homeland. Therefore, most states have territorial forces in their combat composition, including Belarus.

— They are an integral part of the measures carried out in accordance with the Country's Defense Plan; in wartime, they are assigned a number of important tasks, including participation in ensuring martial law, guarding facilities, and combating sabotage and reconnaissance groups and illegal armed formations. In Belarus, great attention is paid to the training of territorial defense management bodies and territorial troops, — said military commissar of Gluboksky and Sharkovshchinsky districts Sergey Krasnodubsky. — A territorial defense system has been created in Belarus, which is divided into zones and districts according to administrative units. Its effectiveness depends on the coordinated work of all links, and exercises allow us to check whether we are capable of performing the assigned tasks locally.

Hard in training…

For high-quality training of territorial troops, an educational gathering was organized in Glubokoye under the leadership of the chairman of the district executive committee Oleg Morkhat on the eve of the exercises. During the event, servicemen practiced the skills acquired during their military service and improved their combat proficiency.

— The training was held only for residents of our district, and there were no issues with attendance, — said Sergey Krasnadubsky. — A collection point was organized at the city House of Culture, where conscripts changed into military uniforms and underwent a medical examination. Before leaving for the battalion's location, they were warned about the responsibility for violations and crimes, which is stricter for military personnel than for civilians. Nevertheless, one unpleasant incident occurred — a man drank while on duty. After the investigation, he was fired from his job.

The barracks for the territorial defense fighters were set up on the outskirts of the city — the building was provided by the consumer cooperative. The structure was surrounded by a high fence, two protected positions for machine gunners were built at the entrance, and bunk beds were installed inside, a room for storing weapons was fenced off, and there was also enough space for utility rooms.

— Not home conditions, of course, but everything is at the proper level. In our free time, we watched TV and socialized. We were fed at a nearby catering facility, — said Private Alexey Zablotsky. — The hardest part was getting used to not having a smartphone: we were only allowed to use old button phones without video and photo capabilities.

But the men had no time to be bored. Theoretical and practical classes on combat and drill training were alternated with trips to the training ground, shooting, and guard duty. Those who had not served in the army before or had served their conscription during the Soviet Union took the Oath in a solemn ceremony.

In addition, practical actions of a conditional enemy are possible in Glubochina these days, so the fighters were intensively preparing for combat against saboteurs, including setting up checkpoints on the approaches to the district center and strengthening the security of strategic objects.

During the training in the rifle battalion of the territorial defense, representatives of different spheres of activity and ages gathered. I think it was only here that they first realized that they are the force capable of defending the motherland from any aggressor.

Eduard Karolevich. Photo by Dmitry OSIPOV. "Vitebskie vesti".