One Of Biggest Firing Grounds In Brest Region Getting Prepared To West-2017

A firing ground near Ivatsevichy is the sixth one in Belarus where the actions of the military men will be practiced.6

The 174th Damanauski firing ground of the Air Forces and Air Defense Forces of Belarus is ready to admit the military men who will arrive to participate in the Belarus-Russia joint military drills.

The firing ground, which is located in Ivatsevichy district, will become one of the six firing grounds in Belarus where the actions of the military men will be practiced, Radio Liberty reports.

This very firing ground remains the only one in Belarus where the drills and firing exercises of the Air Defense Forces and the Air Forces are held. The firing ground occupies a total of 40 thousand Ha. This territory hosts an anti-aircraft missile sector, an antiaircraft artillery sector, a tankcade, as well as a military shooting range.

Soldiers who arrive at the firing ground for exercises are located next to it in the forest. The site has already been prepared for the creation of a temporary camp. True, the soldiers have not yet arrived, says Mikalai, a military man from the village of Volka:

“At present moment, organizational works are in progress. International observers come to visit us. Literally several days ago the Chinese military men arrived. By now, we have had no guests. It’s too early. Besides, it is not a set fact that they will be located near our firing ground. The commanders will probably stay here. And the equipment could be elsewhere. There are several additional firing grounds, near the huge Damanauski one. They are situated in Bytsen. There has been not a single Russian soldier so far.”

The residents of the village of Volka, which is located next to the firing ground, say that this weekend soldiers from the military unit 42276, which is stationed near the village, intensified. For the last two days, the anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as personnel, were withdrawn and moved in the direction of Slonim to the West.

Important to note, the Russia-Belarus military exercises West-2017 will start in September in the territory of Belarus. A record number of rail cars — more than 4 thousand — was involved to transfer the Russian contingent. Many politicians and military experts believe that Russian troops will remain in Belarus after the exercises..

A number of firing grounds at the territory of Belarus will be involved into the exercises: near Lepel, Barysau, Vitsebsk, Asipovichy, Ruzhany and Damanava. It was also reported that the reids at the “terrain compartment” near Dretun had been planned.

The Warning Action demanding the abolition of the exercises West-2017 will take place at 7 p.m. on September 8 in the Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk.