Gulevich commented on upcoming NATO drills and told what Belarus’ response to possible threats would be
The Steadfast Defender upcoming exercise has become wider, with the Defender-Europe been added to it, and together they are combined under the general name of Defender. The military drills will last from February to May 2024, involving about 90,000 troops – as noted by the Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus – First Deputy Defence Minister, Viktor Gulevich, in his talk with Belarus 1 TV Channel
He underlined, “The scope of these exercises is very large. The last time [an exercise of similar size] – involving 125,000 people – took place back during the confrontation between the Warsaw Pact countries and NATO. There’s definitely a move to a higher level in the use of NATO forces and assets. Of course, our Armed Forces will primarily monitor and control the situation both on the ground (to create groups) and in the air. During the exercise, our reconnaissance capabilities will be strengthened in order to monitor what is happening in the adjacent territories.”
According to Viktor Gulevich, the drills as such have not yet begun. He noted that at the moment, equipment is being moved, the possibility of its transfer to the areas of the proposed exercise is being worked out, and the logistics of creating groups are being adjusted.
“The capabilities of Belarus’ Armed Forces enable us to withstand the forces that will participate in this exercise,” assured Viktor Gulevich. “They will be able to demonstrate an adequate response to any threats that will come from the West.”
