Slavic Brotherhood

BELGRADE - Serbian, Russian and Belarusian special units successfully carried out an exercise the objective of which was to retake control of a seized airport as part of the Slavic Brotherhood-2016 joint drills, head of the Russian contingent participating in the drills Maj. Gen. Oleg Polguev said.

BELGRADE - Slavic Brotherhood 2016, a Serbia-Russia-Belarus trilateral military exercise, began at Serbian Armed Forces airports and training ranges on Thursday.

The final stage of the exercise, which ends on November 9, will take place at the Kovin airport and the Pasuljanske livade interservice training range next week.

BELGRADE - More than 150 Russian and about 50 Belarusian paratroopers have arrived in Serbia to take part in the Slavic Brotherhood-2016 international military drills.

1 of 7

Three Russian Il-76 transport planes on Wednesday brought 212 soldiers from the country's Airborne Troops (VDV) to Serbia.

They were accompanied by 56 Belarus troops who will, together with 450 Serbian soldiers, take part in the Slavic Brotherhood military exercise November 3-9.

Photo: TASS/Vladimir Smirnov

BELGRADE - More than 150 Russian and about 50 Belarusian paratroopers have arrived in Serbia to take part in the Slavic Brotherhood-2016 international military drills, the Russian Defense Ministry press service reported on Wednesday.

A joint military drill entitled Slavic Brotherhood, involving the Serbian, Russian and Belarusian armies, will start on Thursday near the capital Belgrade, just days after media claims that several Russian spies were expelled from Serbia. 

More than 150 members of the Ivanovski Battalion of Russia's Airborne Troops (VDV) are due to arrive in Serbia for a joint military exercise.

The Russians will participate in the exercise, dubbed "Slavic Brotherhood 2016," together with Serbian soldiers. They will also be joined by members of the Belarus military.

50 Serbian soldiers are taking part in a joint Russian, Belarus and Serbian military exercise in Russia, dubbed Slavic Brotherhood.

More than 250 troops participating will be airdropped from Ilyushin Il-76 planes to a location near Krasnodar on today, Russian Defense Ministry press officer Irina Kruglova told reporters on Thursday.

The Ministry of Defense says it is working "to improve and further develop best possible relationships with all states and international organizations."

Military exercises involving troops from Russia, Serbia and Belarus are due this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said.

Shoigu made the announcement after meeting his Serbian counterpart Bratislav Gasic on Saturday.

Russian daily Kommersant quotes Shoigu as saying "much importance" is placed on the drill which will be titled "Slavic Brotherhood - 2015".