Russia’s Su-30SM Fighter Jets Arrive in Belarus To Patrol Borders
Russia’s Su-30SM multi-role fighter jets arrived in Belarus
to form a joint military training center for the two countries’ air forces and
air defense, the Belarusian defense ministry reported on Wednesday.
The aircraft landed at the Baranovichi airfield in the Brest
region, 94 kilometers away from Hrodna, which homes the training center. The
aviators are supposed to carry out joint combat duty to guard and patrol the
borders of the supranational Union State.
The joint training center in Hrodna is one of three
facilities Russia and Belarus agreed to establish during Moscow talks in
mid-March. Following the meeting, the parties signed a strategic partnership
program for the next five years that comprises more than 160 events, 40 percent
of which are practical activities.
Su-30SM is a multi-role fighter manufactured by IRKUT, a
subsidiary of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The jet is developed
based on the Su-30MK combat aircraft family and is equipped with advanced
weapons and avionics. The Russian-made fighter can be deployed in counter-air
strikes, counter-land, and counter-sea missions. In addition, it is capable of
conducting electronic counter-countermeasures and early warning tasks. The
aircraft also acts as a command-and-control platform within a fleet of combat
aircraft performing joint missions.
Along with Russia and Kazakhstan, fighters of this kind are
used in Algeria, Belarus, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Venezuela,
Vietnam, and others.
Meanwhile, the arrival of Russia’s jets in Belarus came two
days ahead of the joint “Zapad-2021” military exercises. The drills, which will
last through September 16, bring together up to 200,000 military personnel from
the two countries to polish their mobility and readiness.
The exercise is a regular part of military training for the
strongest military power in the Caspian region, which rotates among Russia’s
four main strategic commands: Vostok (East), Zapad (West), Tsentr (Centre), and
Kavkaz (Caucasus). The exercise has expanded internationally over the years,
with Belarus joining in 2017 and China and Mongolia in 2018.
Maneuvers are expanded into the more multilateral framework
by including forces from the regional members of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Troops from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are participating in the
drills on the basis of their dual membership in the CSTO and SCO, while
Uzbekistan’s involvement relates to its membership in the SCO.
Although Moscow and Minsk’s relations have experienced ups
and downs over plans for deeper integration between the two countries, as well
as a long-running oil dispute, Russia backs President Lukashenko, who has been
in power since 1994.
Belarus — a former Soviet state — is vital to Russia both
economically and strategically. Located between Russia and America’s NATO
allies in northeastern Europe, Belarus serves as a buffer against the western
military block. Both Russia and Belarus are co-founding members of the Union
State, the Customs Union and Eurasian Economic Union.
Additionally, Belarus — a traditionally close ally to Russia
— serves as a significant transit route for Russian oil and gas to Europe, its
primary gas consumer, delivering 20 percent of Russian gas through its
territory. Russia supplies nearly 39 billion cubic meters (bcm) of its natural
gas to Europe, mostly to Germany, via the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline crossing
Belarus.
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