MINSK. April 2 (Interfax) - The Zapad (West) 2021 military exercise of Belarus and Russia will be defensive, however, certain offensive operations, including those countering hybrid and information warfare, will also be trained, Deputy Chief of the Belarusian Armed Forces General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said.
"Another exercise, Zapad 2021, will be held this year. All of its events aim to demonstrate our determination and preparedness to defend the sovereignty and independence of our nations," Muraveiko said on Friday at a meeting marking the Day of Unity between the Peoples of Russia and Belarus.
The Belarusian military said that the exercise would have an exclusively defensive nature. "However, I do not want to create any illusion. We are considering and will train offensive operations, such as the use of modern forms and methods countering hybrid warfare, and we are considering measures against information warfare, as well," he said.
"The regional group of forces and the unified regional air defense network are essential factors of the strategic deterrence that demonstrate our preparedness and ability to protect the sovereignty and independence of the Union State, to display peaceful approaches to our actions, and to ensure the joint training of commands and forces," he said.
The Zapad 2021 strategic command post exercise will be held in September, in particular, in the territory of Belarus.