Belarus recently held military exercises to prevent the infiltration of "illegal armed groups," inspired by the situation in Russia's Kursk region.
The training, called "Stolin-2024," took place in the Brest region, near the borders of Ukraine and Poland. It was led by Belarusian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Kubrakov, as reported by Telegraf.news.
The goal of the exercises was to stop militants before they could enter populated areas.
Kubrakov emphasized that the drills focused on ensuring the safety of the population by training personnel, using special equipment, and working with local communities.
According to the minister, the primary goal was to "destroy militants on the approaches" before they could enter urban centers.
The exercises featured scenarios simulating combat against subversive groups both on the outskirts of the city and within city limits, with the latter being considered "an extreme case."
Belarusian officials stressed the importance of preparing the population for potential armed incursions from neighboring states.
"Belarus is not going to attack anyone but is ready to defend against aggressors," Petro Parkhomczyk, head of the Brest Regional Executive Committee, told Telegraf.news.
These drills come after Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said in August that nearly a third of the army had been moved to the border with Ukraine.
However, both Belarus and Ukraine later reduced their border forces after reassessing the situation. Ukrainian officials reported no significant increase in Belarusian military activity near their shared border.
