Russia, Belarus in military exercise with Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia

The armies of Serbia, Russia, and Belarus Monday continued a weeklong military exercise some 50 kilometers from the Serbian capital Belgrade, said a Serbian Defense Ministry statement.

During the Slovenian Brotherhood exercise, the armed forces of Russia and Belarus demonstrated the landing of APC BDM-2 tanks and troops from an IL-76 plane at the Kovin military airport.

Later the soldiers showed how they would repel a terrorist attack on the base and scout rebel positions using drones, as well as artillery attacks, air fire support, medical evacuation, and the destruction of explosive devices.

The Defense Ministry earlier said the goal of the exercise was to deepen cooperation between the three armies, as well as improve the operational capabilities to carry out anti-terrorist actions in a multinational environment.

The exercise involved 212 members of the airborne army of the Armed Forces of Russia, 56 members of the armed forces of Belarus, and 450 members of the Army of Serbia, mostly from the Special Army Brigade.

The exercise employed Ilyushin IL-76 planes, M-8 and M-17 helicopters, Gazelle and Gamma infantry combat vehicles, armored reconnaissance vehicles, armored personnel carriers, police fighting vehicles, and ATVs.

The exercise is set to last through Wednesday.

The last joint exercise took place in Russia in 2015.