Major General Yevgeny Iliin, the First Deputy Director General of the International Military Cooperation Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense, recently introduced the preparations for the "Western-2021" joint strategic exercise to military attach é s at a briefing.He pointed out that according to the 2021 training plan of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, the "West-2021" joint strategic exercise will be held from September 10-16 under the joint command of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.The exercise aims to implement the joint strategic decisions of the Presidents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, and is the concluding stage of the annual joint training of the armed forces. Similar exercises were also held in western Russia in 2017.The purpose of the exercise is to improve the way and level of preparation for joint operations by the military command agencies and troops of Russia and Belarus, to carry out the task of ensuring the military security of the alliance countries, and to enhance the coordination level and field skills during combat operations.The final stage of the exercise will rehearse a joint action plan to resist aggression and defend the territorial integrity of alliance countries.In addition, a series of individual tasks will be practiced, such as quickly establishing clusters based on troops that are usually in a state of readiness in a short period of time. Attempt to implement various methods of defensive operations and airborne troops.The 'Western-2021' strategic exercise will be conducted in two stages at multiple training grounds in Russia and Belarus:The first stage lasts for 3 days and nights, and the Regional Joint Cluster Command of the Russian and Belarusian Armed Forces will conduct exercises on the following issues: commanding corps and troops to resist aggression against Belarus, organizing coordination and support for the implementation of assigned tasks.The exercise will be held at the Obs Lesnov and Brest contract training grounds, as well as the Romanov and Luran aviation training grounds on Belarusian territory.The second phase will last for 4 days and nights, and will practice the following issues: command of military forces when restoring territorial integrity. Teams from friendly countries will participate in this phase.The military command organs and units of the Western Military Region, Central Military Region, Airborne Troops, Remote and Military Transport Aviation of Russia, as well as the corps and units of the Baltic Fleet, will participate in the exercise.Inviting Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Serbia, and Sri Lanka to participate in the second phase of the exercise held on Russian territory.China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan will dispatch military observers.According to the previous agreement, foreign troops will arrive at the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast of Russia before September 3, 2021. The total number of troops for the exercise is 200000, including about 80 aircraft and helicopters, 760 land combat equipment, including 290 tanks, 240 barrel guns, rocket launchers, and mortars, as well as 15 warships.According to the Vienna Document signed in 2011, no more than 6400 military personnel will participate in the same location on Russian territory.The exercise attempts to register regulations, and hypothetical military and political situations will be constructed during the exercise training. The scenario is based on the escalation of conflicts between hypothetical countries opposing alliances.Set up several "territory states" for training purposes on Russian territory. The hypothetical country - the 'Polar Republic' - will simulate the actions of the enemy. According to the plan, the enemy possesses a powerful armed force and attempts to exert military pressure on the 'Central Federation', escalating tensions and ultimately evolving into an armed conflict.According to the scenario of the exercise, the training command organization and troops will carry out a series of training and combat tasks in this situation: resist the air raids of the imaginary enemy, carry out reconnaissance search, defense, and offensive operations, stop armed conflicts, and defeat the enemy.In order to simulate the actual military operations of the troops, nine training grounds of the Western Military Region of Russia will be used: Mulino (Nizhny Novgorod Oblast), Kirilov (Leningrad Oblast), Redwood Ship (Pskov Oblast), Bogonovo (Volonizh Oblast), Khmelyovka and Pravdinsk (Kaliningrad Oblast), Dorogobuzh (Smolensk Oblast), and Volinsk (Saratov Oblast).The simulation of actual military operations by conventional naval forces will be held in the southern Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland.Major General Iliin emphasized that the "West-2021" strategic exercise is purely defensive in nature, aimed at training troops to carry out military operations under modern conditions and enhancing the level of joint military command in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, allied and friendly countries.At the same time, Russia voluntarily proposed that the large-scale exercise area should be far away from the Russia NATO contact line. Therefore, the main military operations of "West-2021" will be held on Russian territory and far from the country's western border.
Source: Frontiers of Maritime Defense
