15:46 GMT, September 30, 2009 On September, 29th in the territory of Republic Belarus the active phase of the operative-and-strategic exercise "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") comes to the end.

The operative-and-strategic exercise "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") is passing with bodies of military control of formations and military units of Armed Forces of Russian Federation since September, 18th, 2009, of Armed Forces of Republic Belarus since September, 8th.

The theme of the exercise: Preparation and application of a regional grouping of troops (forces) (RGT (F) of Republic Belarus and Russian Federation for maintenance of military security of the Union State».

According to the purposes of the exercise:

• the opportunities of Republic Belarus and Russian Federation on maintenance of military security of the Union State are chequed;

• the complex of actions on increase of a level of coordination of bodies of military control, field and air training of formations and military units, which are a part of the regional grouping of troops (forces) of Republic Belarus and Russian Federation, is realised.

For realisation of the purposes of the exercise the following tasks are solved:

• perfection of questions of interaction of Armed Forces of Republic Belarus with Armed Forces of Russian Federation during joint military actions in structure of a regional grouping of troops (forces);

• training and perfection of skills of officials of the Incorporated command of a regional grouping of troops (forces) in fulfilment of functional duties and abilities to realise administrative functions assigned to them;

• cheque in practice of positions of the theory of control over a regional grouping of troops (forces) for maintenance of military security of the Union State;

• ?ne of possible variants of unleashing a military conflict and modern sights at its prevention, and also conducting defensive actions is put as a basis of the concept for "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009").

The feature of the OSE's concept is carrying out under the general name "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") a series of the exercises on defensive subjects untied with each other with uniform operative command.

The aggregate number of troops participating in the operative-and-strategic exercise makes about 12.5 thousand persons. Thus quantity of participants from Armed Forces, other troops and military formations of Republic Belarus is about 6.5 thousand persons, from Armed Forces of Russian Federation - about 6 thousand persons, from Armed Forces of Republic Kazakhstan - nearby 30 persons. For participation in the exercise it is called nearby 1800 persons of registrants from the reserve.

Structural subdivisions of the Ministry of Defence, the General Staff of Armed Forces, the bodies of military control appointed to the structure of the UC of the RGT (F) with military units (subdivisions) of communications, guard and service, the commands of the Services and Arms of Armed Forces, the operative (operational-and-tactical) commands, the formations and military units of the Arms, special troops, armaments and logistics of Armed Forces take part in the exercise from Armed Forces of Republic Belarus.

From Armed Forces of Russian Federation the group of officers appointed to the structure of the Incorporated command of the RGT (F) of Republic Belarus and Russian Federation, the command, formations and military units of the 20-th army of the Moscow military district, the operative group of the Main command of the Air Force, the Command of the Military-transport aviation, the operative group of the Command of the AbF, the command and subdivisions of the 98-th airborne division take part in the exercise.

The operative groups of army headquarters of zones and regions of the territorial defence, the formed control bodies and subdivisions of territorial troops of the Lidsky district of the Grodno Region, the Baranovichy district of the Brest Region, the Borisov district of the Minsk Region, the Lepel and Orsha districts of the Vitebsk Region, the Osipovichy district of the Mogilyov Region are also involved to OSE "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009"). Besides, the republican state bodies take part in the exercise: operative groups, forces and means of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Measures, the state security bodies and frontier service, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of transport and communications of Republic Belarus.

In the limits of OSE "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") combat and special weaponry is used, including 103 airframes (63 aircraft and 40 helicopters), about 470 combat armour vehicles, 228 tanks, 234 self-propelled and towed artillery guns, mortars and multiple rocket launchers.

The basic site of the operative-and-strategic exercise is the Obuz-Lesna range, where the basic actions of practical operations of troops (forces) are fulfilled on September, 29th, 2009.

Separately in the Borisovsky range the exercise under the plan of the General Staff of Armed Forces of Russian Federation is conducted. Its plan is not connected with the plan of OSE "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009").

During OSE "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") training-combat operations of Armed Forces of Belarus in the military ranges of Russian Federation (Ashuluk, Telemba) are provided.

The joint solution of tasks of perfection of potential of a regional grouping of troops (forces) of Armed Forces of Republic Belarus and Russian Federation corresponds to the national interests of both Belarus and Russia, and the other states-members of the CSTO, being a major factor of the international security.

The operative-and-strategic exercise "Zapad-2009" ("West-2009") is a regular practical step in preparation of Armed Forces of Belarus and Russia, and it will promote the further perfection of the system of security of the Union State.