The Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced on August 26 the deployment of multiple rocket artillery units to Russia.
Among the equipment sent was the BM-30 Smerch, a heavy rocket system with an effective range of approximately 56 miles.
The official statement from the Belarusian defense ministry indicated that these multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) were being dispatched to a Russian training ground for combat application exercises. “The rocket troops and artillery units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are being sent to the Russian Federation to practice combat use,” the statement read.
The transfer underscores Belarus’s continued reliance on Russian military support, especially for the testing and training of long-range systems, given the lack of large-scale training grounds in Belarus. This move follows previous instances where Belarus sought Russian assistance to enhance its military capabilities.
Очередные расчеты подразделений ракетных войск и артиллерии Вооруженных Сил Республики Беларусь убывают на полигон Российской Федерации для отработки вопросов боевого применения. pic.twitter.com/0Ojd8XCBCE
— Минобороны Беларуси (@MOD_BY) August 26, 2024
It is worth noting that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has maintained close ties with the Kremlin, previously ordered the transfer of military equipment from active Belarusian units to Russian forces. This decision comes amid reports of Belarus depleting its own military stockpiles.
Sources within the Belarusian Ministry of Defense confirmed to journalists that Russia requested this transfer of equipment following Ukraine’s successful offensive in the Kursk region. The Russian military in the region has reportedly faced a severe shortage of weapons and heavy equipment, exacerbating their challenges on the battlefield.