MINSK. Aug 16 (Interfax) - Belarusian artillery forces are using Osa anti-aircraft missile systems to engage airborne targets during an exercise underway at a military training ground near the country's border with Poland, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
"Personnel of the 147th Air Defense Missile Regiment are holding a tactical exercise at the 174th military training range of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces [in the Brest region of Belarus]. During the drills, units operating Osa anti-aircraft missile systems fired missiles at airborne targets," the ministry said.
"The focus of the tactical exercise is on performing maneuvers and crew operations in conditions where the time for preparing the systems for combat use is limited. A challenging target environment has been created for the crews, making it possible to assess and unleash all of the regiment's capabilities. The crews' targets include both piloted aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles and airborne target simulators," the ministry's press release quoted commander of the Belarusian Western Operational Command Col. Vladimir Bely as saying.