Territorial defense must be handled professionally - Nikolai Sherstnev

Territorial defense is not a game, it should be approached professionally. This was stated by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Head of the Territorial Defense Zone of the Vitebsk Region, Nikolai Sherstnev, who took part in territorial defense events during the joint Belarusian-Russian military exercise "West-2017".

Practical territorial defense maneuvers of the exercise took place in the Gluboksky district with the participation of the chairmen of the district and city executive committees of the region. According to the chairman of the regional executive committee, these events are a colossal experience for the Gluboksky district. "We are not working with the chairmen of district executive committees for nothing today. It is important that everyone sees and understands how it is done. This is not a game. Territorial defense must be approached seriously and professionally," he emphasized.

Nikolai Sherstnev noted that the main task of territorial defense is the protection of strategically important facilities located in a specific territory. This includes water supply facilities, energy facilities, food enterprises, and the industrial complex.

The governor pointed out that protecting all these facilities in case of sabotage is possible only through close contact with the armed forces. "At the exercise, we focused not only on how to organize territorial defense but also on what the interaction with the country's armed forces should be. We practiced specific aspects in practice. In the future, such events will be held in every district," said the head of the region.

Assessing the work done and practical maneuvers, Nikolai Sherstnev emphasized that everyone approached the event very responsibly. "Both those who were called up and the district leadership are at their best. The civilian population also showed high awareness," the governor believes. He cited an example from one of the schools. Law enforcement officers received a report that wires were sticking out of a trash can at the school. The police immediately responded to the call. It turned out that an electrician was repairing the wiring and threw away scraps in the trash. "It's good that people pay attention to such moments," said Nikolai Sherstnev. "If unfamiliar people appear in the vicinity, calls from local residents immediately follow. This indicates that our civilian population also approaches security issues very responsibly."

The head of the exercises, Head of the Territorial Defense Department - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Major General Sergei Dudko, focused on the fact that such exercises are necessary for practicing territorial defense issues in practice. Statistics of conflicts occurring in the world show significant casualties among the civilian population. "Our approach to organizing territorial defense is to ensure the safety of the population first and foremost. And today, in the classes, we are practicing this issue, drawing the attention of district and city leaders to the fact that the safety of the population is of paramount importance to them," explained Sergei Dudko.

The Chairman of the Glubokoe District Executive Committee, Oleg Morkhat, in turn, said that a lot of work had been done in the district to mobilize the population and form a headquarters. "We needed to accommodate people, allocate places for drill training, shooting, etc. All events were brought closer to wartime conditions. I am grateful to the people of Glubokoe for their responsible attitude towards conducting the exercises and for their coordinated actions.

"responsibly," noted the head of the district.

For Oleg Morkhat personally, the exercises became "a great school and valuable experience." "I was pleased with the level of responsibility of our conscripts. We held the oath-taking ceremony in a place sacred to Glubokoye residents - Victory Park. Residents of Glubokoye, relatives and friends of the conscripts, and youth attended this event. It was a beautiful solemn event, a real celebration," shared the chairman of the district executive committee.

In the Glubokoye district, territorial defense forces, in cooperation with representatives of the district's law enforcement agencies, demonstrated in practice the solution of several tasks. The equipment and organization of service at the checkpoint were shown, as well as the actions of the checkpoint detail during the inspection and detention of a sabotage and reconnaissance group of the enemy on transport vehicles. In addition, the repelling of an attack by a sabotage and reconnaissance group on a guarded strategically important object was simulated, as well as an episode with the seizure of hostages in a settlement. The criminal group that seized the administrative building was eliminated, and the hostages were unharmed.

Alena Tikhonova. Photos by Alexander Khitrov. BELTA.