Belarusian military starts checking combat capability of Air Force, Air Defense
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The Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Sept. 30 a new stage of inspection of its Armed Forces' military units, with a focus on the air force and air defense troops, according to the statement.
The combat training tasks will involve all training areas of the Belarusian Armed Forces. During the inspection, military conscripts from the country's reserves will be called up, the ministry said.
Two anti-aircraft missile and two radio-technical brigades, five anti-aircraft missile regiments, and three air bases may be involved in the inspection, according to the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun.
Minsk is Moscow's closest ally and hosts Russian troops and missiles, but has so far not been directly involved in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview on Aug. 15 that Belarus moved a third of its army to the border with Ukraine earlier in the summer.
Speaking to the Rossiya TV channel, Lukashenko claimed it was in response to a build-up of Ukrainian troops that had been prompted by a misinterpretation of preparations for Belarus's Independence Day celebrations on July 3.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry released a statement on Aug. 25 that Belarus is "concentrating a significant number" of weaponry and personnel at the border with Ukraine, including some former Wagner Group mercenaries.
The Foreign Ministry warned, "in case of a violation of Ukraine's state border by Belarus, our state will take all necessary measures to exercise the right to self-defense guaranteed by the UN Charter."
