Russia's State Duma ratifies agreement with Belarus on combat training centers

The agreement was signed in Minsk on 28 March 2023. Belarus finished the document's ratification in July 2023. The agreement regulates the establishment and operation of combat training centers based on army units in Belarus and Russia. The agreement determines the main tasks of the centers and how the defense ministries are supposed to interact in order to provide comprehensive support for these centers.

As he presented the document for ratification, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov explained that the combat training centers are supposed to enable the joint training of military personnel. The centers will also allow the personnel to polish combat training skills in practice and improve the level of cohesion and combat training. The main tasks of the combat training centers include joint combat training, joint duties (combat duty, provisional combat duty) of military contingents of the parties to the agreement, fulfillment of other combat training tasks within the framework of joint training programs; the sharing of experience of combat employment of existing weapon systems, military and special hardware; the training of practical skills required to operate weapon systems, military and special hardware of the parties to the agreement; the unification of combat training of the Belarusian army and the Russian one.

The agreement expects foreign military contingents to respect sovereignty and observe the legislation of the host country, to refrain from any actions, which are incompatible with provisions of the agreement, and not to interfere with domestic affairs of the host country.

The defense ministries of Belarus and Russia have been authorized to implement the agreement. They are vested with the authority to make decisions on setting up specific combat training centers and on operating them.