Belarusian and Chinese military units have commenced joint counter-terrorism exercises near the Polish border, as shown in footage released on July 14. Belarusian state media outlet Voeyn TV (Military TV) aired a video depicting servicemen engaging in parachute jumps and field battles. According to Reuters, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence announced that the forces from both nations would perform a series of strategic manoeuvres, including night landings, water obstacle crossings, and operations in populated areas.
The exercises, named Falcon Assault, are scheduled to run until July 19 at a training ground near the city of Brest, which is situated close to the Polish border in southwestern Belarus. Notably, Belarus had previously permitted Russia to use its territory as a launchpad for its military operation against Ukraine in 2022.
Eagle Assault 2024, as the 11-day exercise will involve troops practising night landings, overcoming water obstacles, and conducting urban combat drills. This joint exercise follows Belarus’s recent entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic, and defence alliance led by Russia and China. Belarus became the 10th member of the SCO earlier this month, joining the founders China and Russia, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India, Pakistan, and Iran have joined the organization since its inception.
Initially, the SCO was created to address border disputes among its founding members. Over time, the organization has shifted its focus to joint security issues, with member states regularly participating in joint anti-terrorism exercises.
While this week’s Chinese-Belarusian military exercise may directly result from Belarus joining the SCO, the two nations have conducted similar drills before, notably in 2018 in China’s northeastern Jinan. From 2016 to 2020, before widespread protests erupted in Belarus, Minsk maintained a dialogue with NATO and invited observers to its manoeuvres. Experts believe the current exercises may raise concerns in Russia, given the involvement of the Chinese military within Moscow’s sphere of influence.
The drills are taking place in Brest, located just 2.8 kilometres (1.7 miles) from the Polish border and 28 kilometres from Ukraine has emerged as a matter of concern. Poland has been a significant ally of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Team BharatShakti (With inputs from Reuters)
