Belarus holding exercise on border with Ukraine

MINSK. June 22 (Interfax) - A mobilization exercise with military enlistment offices has begun in Belarus' Gomel region, which borders Ukraine, the press service for the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Special operations forces of the Belarusian army will take part in the exercise.

"A mobilization exercise is being conducted in the Gomel region from June 22 to July 1, 2022, under the supervision of the head of the Main Organization and Mobilization Directorate and deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces in accordance with the Armed Forces' combat training plan for 2021/2022," the press service said.

"Special operations units of the Armed Forces are expected to take part in the exercise to help simulate a realistic environment. A key distinguishing feature of the upcoming mobilization exercise, unlike mobilization exercises earlier held at military enlistment offices in other regions, is that mobilized resources will not arrive at military units, but people liable for call-up who have been summoned to military enlistment offices will take part in the mobilization exercise within these military enlistment offices," it said.

A similar exercise was held with military enlistment offices of the Mogilev region last year.

The goal of such drills is to verify military enlistment offices' preparedness to fulfill their duties. Mechanisms of reinforcing military enlistment offices by calling up reservists will be practiced during the exercise. Training sessions will be conducted for servicemen during the exercise.