We are ready to respond quickly and clearly to any aggression: Vitebsk summed up the results of command and staff exercises with territorial defense management bodies
The final stage of the command and staff exercises with territorial defense management bodies took place in Vitebsk. Here, the exercise participants practiced service duties, guarding and defending checkpoints, detaining violators, extinguishing fires, and other actions of the personnel of a separate rifle battalion of territorial troops during the repulsion of an attack by an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group on a guarded facility.
– Summing up the exercises, we can confidently say that the goals and action algorithms that were initially set were worked out clearly and harmoniously. Of course, there were minor shortcomings, but that's what such exercises are for – to correct them and make the work of the units even more coordinated, – emphasized Alexander Subbotin. – Such comprehensive exercises have always been conducted, but today we talk about them more often in the media to show their importance and demonstrate to everyone that we are ready to respond quickly and clearly to any aggression.
Head of the Territorial Defense Department – Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, Andrey Kravchenko, noted that local executive bodies have coped well with the formation of territorial troops units and have successfully completed the assigned tasks.
– All local executive committees understand the importance of ensuring interaction between law enforcement agencies, which is crucial when performing territorial defense tasks. We also tested the process of forming a people's militia in the Vitebsk and Orsha regions: from the moment volunteers arrived to the issuance of weapons to them. The territorial defense system has shown a sufficiently high result in terms of joint task performance, – emphasized Andrey Kravchenko. – At all territorial defense facilities, methods for combating unmanned aerial vehicles were also tested: from their use to countering UAVs, using electronic warfare forces and means, and weapons.
Among the more than 250 people called up for training with territorial troops reservists in the Vitebsk region is Sergeant, squad leader Sergey Smolensky. He previously served in the border troops. First, six months in training in Smorgon, and then in Minsk at the support commandant's office. Currently, he works as a meat deboner.
– I received an SMS notification on my phone stating that I should report to the military enlistment office on a specific date and time. I came, filled out a questionnaire, and was issued a summons for September 10. I thought that if the Motherland calls, I must go, – said Sergey Smolensky. – These are my first training exercises. I enjoyed practicing many tactical tasks during the drills. We learned a lot of new things, as time does not stand still, and new equipment and weaponry have appeared. We all became friends and like brothers; I don't even want to leave.