Belarus Puts Tank Battalion on Alert as Part of Readiness Check

Belarus continues its combat readiness check. Today, Deputy State Secretary of the Security Council Andrei Harbatsienka handed an order to put a tank battalion of the 19th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Northwestern Operational Command on alert.

According to the Defense Ministry’s press service, the battalion is being brought to readiness at its peacetime strength. It is to march to a designated area, prepare weapons and military equipment for use, and carry out live-fire tasks using its standard weapons, tanks and small arms. This will be followed by control exercises in tactical, tactical-special, firearms and physical training.

“When we began the next stage of the check, we said that we would examine how the command-and-control system for the entire security bloc functions. Therefore, the procedure for delivering such orders will be different each time. We are checking how the entire command-and-control system works, how officials are able to make decisions in a timely manner, promptly communicate tasks and monitor the implementation of the assigned tasks,” Harbatsienka said.