Northwestern Operational Command
Scope Clarification and Attribution
The formations and facilities listed belong to the Belarusian Armed Forces’ Northwestern Operational Command (headquarters in Borisov/Barysaw, Minsk Region). They are not Russian military units or bases. However, under the Belarus–Russia Union State framework and the Regional Grouping of Forces, these Belarusian sites have hosted Russian formations during joint exercises (e.g., Zapad-2017 and Zapad-2021) and the February 2022 Union Resolve drills; Russian forces used Belarusian training areas and infrastructure in early 2022. Accordingly, the sites are pertinent to assessments of Russian military access and staging, while remaining under Belarusian jurisdiction.
Command Headquarters and Area of Responsibility
The Northwestern Operational Command is headquartered in Borisov (Barysaw), central Belarus, with operational responsibility for assigned ground, artillery, air defense, and support units in the country’s northwestern sector, including parts of Minsk Region and adjacent areas. The headquarters location offers established road and rail connectivity and proximity to major training areas around Borisov. The provided data names Major General Alexander Naumenko as commander; confirmation of current incumbency and tenure should be obtained from official Belarusian Ministry of Defense communications for currency.
Order of Battle (as Provided)
The listed structure comprises: 19th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (military unit 71327); 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (military unit 04147); 310th Separate Artillery Group of the 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (military unit 28212); 231st Artillery Brigade (military unit 22313); 740th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit 15847); 7th Engineer Regiment (military unit 25849); 60th Separate Communications Regiment (military unit 19293); 814th Maintenance Center (military unit 32377); 110th Separate Logistics Regiment (military unit 59884); 10th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion (military unit 17832); 227th Combined Arms Training Grounds (military unit 33196); 11th Tank Training Regiment (military unit 03336); and 228th Separate Electronic Warfare Regiment (military unit 32404). The 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade appears twice, indicating a duplicate entry rather than two distinct formations.
Ground Maneuver Capabilities
The 19th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade and the 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade constitute the principal maneuver elements. Reported equipment includes T-72B and T-72B3 main battle tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, and BTR-82A armored personnel carriers. This mix provides tracked and wheeled infantry mobility, combined-arms firepower, and the ability to conduct mechanized operations in terrain and infrastructure typical of central and northern Belarus.
Artillery and Fire Support
The 231st Artillery Brigade and the 310th Separate Artillery Group of the 120th Brigade provide towed and self-propelled fire support. Systems cited include 2S5 Giatsint-S (152 mm self-propelled gun), 2A65 Msta-B (152 mm towed howitzer), and 2S1 Gvozdika (122 mm self-propelled howitzer). Publicly reported performance envelopes are approximately: 2S5—about 28–30 km with conventional ammunition and up to roughly 37–40 km with rocket-assisted projectiles; 2A65—around 24–25 km with standard HE and roughly 28–29 km with RAP; 2S1—about 15–21 km depending on ammunition. These assets support deep interdiction and close support across the command’s sector.
Air Defense Posture
The 740th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment fields the 9K33 Osa (NATO: SA-8) short-range air defense system. The Osa-AKM variant typically engages targets at roughly 1.5–10 km in range and up to about 5 km in altitude, delivering mobile, point and local-area protection for maneuver forces and key sites. Within Belarus, such units are integrated into national air defense command-and-control architectures that coordinate with the joint Belarus–Russia regional air defense system.
C3I and Electronic Warfare
The 60th Separate Communications Regiment provides deployable and fixed communications to ensure command-and-control continuity for the operational command. The 10th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion and the 228th Separate Electronic Warfare Regiment conduct electromagnetic spectrum operations at tactical and operational levels. Belarusian EW missions typically include electronic attack and protection affecting adversary communications and radar; specific equipment inventories are not enumerated in the provided data and are not detailed here.
Engineering, Logistics, and Maintenance
The 7th Engineer Regiment enables mobility, countermobility, and survivability tasks—such as bridging, route clearance, and obstacle emplacement—while also supporting explosive ordnance disposal. The 110th Separate Logistics Regiment provides transport, supply (including fuels and lubricants), and medical support functions. The 814th Maintenance Center conducts repair and overhaul of vehicles, weapons, and specialized systems. Together, these support elements enable sustained operations and intensive training activity in the Borisov area.
Training and Force Generation Infrastructure
The 227th Combined Arms Training Grounds near Borisov offers live-fire and field training facilities for combined-arms units, and the 11th Tank Training Regiment supports armor crew and specialist training within Belarus’s force generation system. Belarus has repeatedly hosted major joint exercises with Russia—including Zapad-2017 (14–20 September 2017), Zapad-2021 (10–16 September 2021), and Union Resolve 2022 (February 2022)—during which Russian units utilized Belarusian ranges, including the Borisov area training ground.
Equipment Technical Summary
T-72B and T-72B3 main battle tanks mount a 125 mm smoothbore gun with an autoloader; the B3 variant incorporates modernized fire control and thermal sights. BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles are armed with a 30 mm 2A42 cannon and anti-tank guided missiles, offering amphibious mobility. BTR-82A wheeled armored personnel carriers mount a stabilized 30 mm 2A72 cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. Artillery systems include the 2S1 Gvozdika (122 mm SPH), 2A65 Msta-B (152 mm towed howitzer), and 2S5 Giatsint-S (152 mm SPG), covering short- to deep-support fires. The 9K33 Osa combines search/track radar and missiles on a single vehicle for autonomous short-range air defense.
Relevance to Russian Military Posture and Access
Although these are Belarusian military sites, the Union State and the Regional Grouping of Forces provide mechanisms for Russian deployments to Belarus for training and joint readiness activities. In early 2022, Russian forces were deployed to multiple Belarusian ranges and bases, and Belarusian territory was used as a staging area for operations against Ukraine from the north. The Northwestern Operational Command’s infrastructure—especially the Borisov-area headquarters and training grounds—therefore represents potential staging, training, and support capacity for Russian forces during joint or contingency operations, subject to Belarusian approval and bilateral agreements.
Data Reliability and Observations
The unit designations and equipment types listed are consistent with publicly known elements of the Belarusian Northwestern Operational Command, including the presence of the 19th and 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigades, the 231st Artillery Brigade, and supporting enablers. The duplicate listing of the 120th Brigade appears to be a data repetition. The named commander and certain military unit numbers are plausible but should be verified against current official Belarusian Ministry of Defense releases for confirmation. No classified or non-public details regarding exact unit strengths, deployment patterns, or equipment quantities are addressed.