– On December 1, a new academic year began in the Belarusian Armed Forces – a year of combat alignment. Units conducted scheduled combat readiness exercises, including alarm drills and practicing the protection of facilities from air attacks. During the month, notable combat training events included staff mobilization training in the 120th Mechanized Brigade and a joint Belarusian-Russian conference on psychological readiness for combat operations. Separately, launches from the Polonez-M MLRS by servicemen of the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade were noted.
– The aviation activity of the Belarusian Air Force was low. There were occasional sorties by fighters on duty from Baranavichy airfield (December 2, 6, 10, 12, 13, and 22), which were probably related to the interception of UAVs.
– No significant activity by military commissariats was recorded. In the context of territorial defense, activity was focused on training the national home guard. According to open sources, from January 1 to December 31, 2025, at least 11,105 people were drafted for various types of military training sessions.
– Systematic work continued on rearming the Belarusian Armed Forces. During the month, new EW equipment (including systems for countering UAVs, some of which were delivered for the first time), another batch of Su-30SM2 fighters, and new airfield refueling trucks were delivered to the troops. Two 96L6 radars were also delivered to the 56th and 115th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiments, which was one of the signs of the start of the rearmament of these units with S-400 SAM systems. At the same time, the leadership of the Belarusian Armed Forces confirmed the priority of developing EW and outlined procurement plans for the next five years, including Fumigator systems and UAV detection and suppression means.
– In the context of military infrastructure development, the installation and/or modernization of the instrument landing system has been recorded at military airfields in Belarus. In December 2025, the system was tested at Lida airfield, Baranavichy airfield and Machulishchy airfield, which increases the reliability of flights and expands the airfields’ capabilities for receiving and dispatching aircraft. On December 31, the State Investment Program for 2026 was approved, and no new military facilities for the Ministry of Defense are planned at the expense of the republican budget. At the same time, funding for the military compound for the 37th Air Assault Brigade of the Special Operations Forces and the training ground in Homiel region has been extended until 2028. No information on the formation of new units has been reported.
– No information has been received regarding significant personnel appointments. As part of the staffing of the Belarusian Armed Forces, we can note another graduation of junior officers from the Faculty of Advanced Training and Retraining of Personnel at the Military Academy.
– International military cooperation was limited to separate events, while the key event was the official visit of Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin to Zimbabwe. During the talks, the parties announced their intention to intensify military and military-technical cooperation, signed an interdepartmental agreement, and outlined plans to send a Zimbabwean military attache to Belarus. In addition, there were selective contacts with Iran and Russia.
– The Internal Troops took part in the Sakhand-Antiterror-2025 anti-terrorism drills in Iran. There were reports of developments in the field of UAVs, including the availability of fiber-optic cable-controlled devices with a range of up to 25 km. The leadership of the Internal Troops announced that they were fully staffed and had 100% coverage of officer personnel. It was noted that special forces units make up more than 33% of the personnel. At the same time, work with “volunteers” continued, including exercises and training sessions throughout the country.
– Further build-up of the combat potential of border guard units on the border with Ukraine has been announced. Infrastructure development continues in the southern direction: on December 4, the renovated Rosa Luxemburg border outpost complex was opened in Yelsk district. There are also signs of a possible rearmament of the maneuvering group of the Homiel border guard group with BTR-82A APCs.
– A key event in the work of the military-industrial complex was BELPOL’s investigation into the construction of an ammunition plant in Slutsk district, where Russia is named as the sole customer. Plans to modernize the Polonez MLRS and develop missile production were also announced. In terms of military-technical cooperation, there were reports of specific contacts with Algeria and China. In addition, the head of the State Authority for Military Industry announced the formation of a united defense-industrial space within the framework of the Union State and the integration of production chains against the background of sanctions.
– No fundamentally new information on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus was received. During the month, officials and politicians made no noteworthy statements.
– A. Lukashenka announced the delivery of the Oreshnik missile system to Belarus and its deployment on combat duty. Publications by the Belarusian and Russian Ministries of Defense, as well as satellite images, indicate Krychau airfield as the location where construction work continues and the presence of the Russian Armed Forces is recorded. This means the appearance of another Russian military facility on the map of Belarus and the strengthening of Russia’s military presence, therefore further monitoring and verification using satellite images is required.
– In the context of amendments to legislation, it should be noted that the procedure for performing military transport duties in Belarus has been revised. On December 8, the Ministry of Defense adopted Resolution No.29, which expanded the list of transport subject to mobilization to include leased equipment. Motorcycles have also been added to the list of vehicles subject to transfer in wartime.
– The situation in the area bordering Ukraine hasn’t changed significantly. As of January 1, the presence of units of the Special Operations Forces, EW units, and units of the Radio-Technical Troops was recorded. Units of the Internal Troops continue to perform tasks to ensure security in a number of settlements and to protect infrastructure facilities. The number of the group of the Belarusian Armed Forces and the Internal Troops in southern Belarus is still estimated at about 1,000 people. This number of forces does not pose a military threat to Ukraine. No troop redeployments have been recorded in the western direction (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia).
– Systematic but limited UAV incursions into Belarusian airspace (mainly Russian UAVs) continued. Ukrainian monitoring channels recorded at least 51 cases during the month. There were no reports of crashes or shoot-downs in December, but 42 cases were recorded in Brest region alone during the year. The authorities are intensifying their response measures, including training sappers, deploying EW systems at infrastructure facilities, and creating maneuvering fire groups. The share of incursions in December was ≈1.01% of the total number of launches against Ukraine, but this estimate is approximate. There is no reason to believe that Russian UAV incursions into Belarusian airspace will cease in the near future.
– The situation with the Russian military presence in Belarus has changed due to the deployment of the Oreshnik missile system at Krychau airfield. In other respects, the Russian military presence has remained unchanged. As of January 1, the number of Russian military personnel in Belarus is estimated at about 2,100.
– The aviation activity of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Belarus was insignificant. Four arrivals of passenger aircraft from Moscow to Machulishchy airfield were recorded on December 9, 12, 22, and 24. As of January 1, there was no permanent presence of aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Belarus.
Contents
1. Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
1.1. Combat training
1.2. Aviation activity
1.3. Military commissariats
1.4. Territorial defense
1.5. Training of mobilization reserve
1.6. Rearmament
1.7. Military infrastructure development. Formation of new units
1.8. Personnel appointments and staffing
1.9. International military cooperation
2. Other structural components of the state’s military organization
2.1. Internal Troops
2.2. Border Guard Service
3. Work of the military-industrial complex. Military-technical cooperation
4. Tactical nuclear weapons and the Oreshnik missile system in Belarus
4.1. Tactical nuclear weapons
4.2. Oreshnik missile system
6. Situation in the border regions of Belarus
6.1. Border with Ukraine
6.2. Border with NATO member states
7. Violation of Belarus’s airspace by Russian UAVs
8. Russia’s military activity in Belarus
8.1. Strength of the Russian group in Belarus
8.2. Aviation activity
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Материал доступен на русском языке: Обзор военной активности в Беларуси за декабрь 2025
