Mercenaries of the Wagner PMC train Belarusian Territorial Defense Forces

15 July, 2023 Soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus, illustrative photo. Photo from open sources The mercenaries of the Wagner PMC are training Belarusian Territorial Defense Forces.

The Belarusian TV channel VoenTV reports. The training is held at the training ground near the town of Osipovichi, which is almost in the center of the country. The military conscripts arrived at the training ground from the Salihorsk District, which is hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Mercenaries help Belarusian reservists learn tactical medicine skills. In addition, military conscripts are mastering the skills of movement on the battlefield and tactical shooting, and getting knowledge of engineering training.

"We inform you that the military department and the military company's management have developed a roadmap for the near future for the preparation and exchange of experience between units of different types of troops," the Belarusian Ministry of Defense added. The mercenaries of the Wagner PMC arrived in Belarus after the short-lived coup in Russia, which lasted from June 23 to 24, 2023. The first confirmed reports that the mercenaries were being relocated to Belarus appeared on July 11.

As previously reported, on July 12, the Ministry of Defense of Russia disarmed the units of the so-called Wagner Private Military Company. The Territorial Defense Forces is a type of troops in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, which is formed in a state of war or state of emergency.

Soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus, illustrative photo. Photo from open sources

They are of auxiliary importance and consist of military reservists.

The Belarusian Territorial Defense Forces were formed for the first time in 2002.

On February 20, 2023, at a meeting of the Security Council of Belarus, the formation of a militia that could attract 100,000-150,000 people was announced.