Western Operational Command
Scope Clarification
The units listed are formations of the Belarusian Armed Forces under the Western Operational Command (WOC), headquartered in Grodno, Belarus. They are not Russian Federation Armed Forces units. Belarus and Russia operate a joint Regional Grouping of Forces within the Union State framework, but the military unit numbers, commanders, and equipment enumerated here pertain to Belarusian formations.
Headquarters and Command Structure
The Western Operational Command headquarters (military unit 03587) is located in Grodno, a Belarusian city situated near the borders with Poland and Lithuania. Open-source reporting has identified Colonel Vladimir Bely as the headquarters commander (status after October 2024 is not independently confirmed). Subordinate formations, as provided, include: 6th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (m/u 05733); 11th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (m/u 18315); 111th Guards Artillery Brigade (m/u 11921); 108th Separate Logistics Regiment (m/u 14103); 74th Separate Communications Regiment (m/u 41780); 48th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion (m/u 97061); 557th Engineer Brigade (m/u 51171); 250th Separate Security and Maintenance Battalion (m/u 97035); and 815th Technical Support Center (m/u 35544).
Order of Battle Summary (as provided)
Western Operational Command formations and identifiers: HQ (m/u 03587, Grodno; commander reported as Col. Vladimir Bely). 6th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (m/u 05733; commander reported as Guards Col. Alexander Lavrenov; equipment: T-72B, BMP-2). 11th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade (m/u 18315; equipment: T-72B, MT-LB, 2S1 Gvozdika, 2K22 Tunguska). 111th Guards Artillery Brigade (m/u 11921; commander reported as Col. Nikolay Kudlasevich—unconfirmed; equipment: 2S5 Giatsint-S, 2A65 Msta-B, BM-21 Grad, BM-27 Uragan). 108th Separate Logistics Regiment (m/u 14103). 250th Separate Security and Maintenance Battalion (m/u 97035). 48th Separate EW Battalion (m/u 97061). 557th Engineer Brigade (m/u 51171). 74th Separate Communications Regiment (m/u 41780). 815th Technical Support Center (m/u 35544).
Geographic Posture and Lines of Communication
Grodno, the WOC HQ location, lies close to the borders with Poland and Lithuania; the nearest international border crossings are within approximately 20–30 km. The area is connected by the M6 highway (Minsk–Grodno) and rail lines linking Grodno to Minsk, Brest, and Białystok (Poland). The broader Western Operational Command area of responsibility includes routes adjacent to the Suwałki Gap (the land corridor between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast via Poland–Lithuania), which is approximately 65 km at its narrowest point. Rail and road infrastructure in Grodno, Slonim, Lida, and Brest serve as key movement and sustainment nodes for heavy equipment.
Mechanized Brigades – Core Combat Capabilities
The 6th and 11th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigades provide the primary maneuver capability in the WOC. Reported equipment includes T-72B main battle tanks and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (6th), and T-72B tanks, MT-LB armored carriers, 2S1 122 mm self-propelled howitzers, and 2K22 Tunguska gun/missile air-defense vehicles (11th). T-72B: 125 mm 2A46-series gun, typical use of Kontakt-1 ERA; legacy night sights on baseline models. BMP-2: 30 mm 2A42 cannon and 9M113 Konkurs ATGM capability. MT-LB: lightly armored tracked transporter for personnel and cargo. 2S1 Gvozdika: 122 mm, nominal range ~15.3 km (HE), up to ~21.9 km with rocket-assisted projectiles (RAP). 2K22 Tunguska: twin 30 mm guns and 9M311 family missiles, missile engagement envelope up to ~8 km (range) and ~3.5 km (altitude); gun effectiveness up to ~4 km against aerial targets.
Artillery and Rocket Forces
The 111th Guards Artillery Brigade fields a mixed fires portfolio: 2S5 Giatsint-S 152 mm self-propelled guns (typical range ~28–33 km depending on ammunition), 2A65 Msta-B 152 mm towed howitzers (~24.7 km with standard HE; ~28–29 km with RAP), BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple launch rocket systems (baseline rockets ~20 km; extended-range up to ~40 km depending on munition), and BM-27 Uragan 220 mm MLRS (commonly ~35 km with standard rockets). This mix enables deep and area fires, counter-battery, and general support/reinforcing roles for maneuver brigades.
Electronic Warfare and Signals Support
The 48th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion provides electromagnetic spectrum operations, including jamming and electronic support measures against adversary communications and certain navigation-dependent systems, in accordance with standard EW battalion roles. The 74th Separate Communications Regiment establishes and maintains command, control, and communications networks (radio, radio-relay, wired, and secure data links) to support WOC headquarters and subordinate formations. Specific equipment sets and operating procedures are not publicly detailed; no classified configurations are included here.
Engineering and Mobility/Countermobility
The 557th Engineer Brigade provides gap crossing, route clearance, obstacle emplacement, survivability works, and explosive ordnance tasks in support of WOC operations. Typical engineer brigade capabilities include pontoon bridging, mine-laying/clearance, fortification construction, and water obstacle support on Belarus’s river networks. Exact Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE) is not publicly enumerated; roles described align with standard engineer brigade functions.
Logistics, Maintenance, and Technical Support
Sustainment is delivered by the 108th Separate Logistics Regiment and the 815th Technical Support Center. The logistics regiment typically manages supply distribution (classes of supply), transport (road/rail), and field services for subordinate formations. The technical support center provides higher-echelon maintenance, repair, and overhaul for armaments, vehicles, and select electronic systems, as well as storage and issue of technical materiel. The 250th Separate Security and Maintenance Battalion performs installation security, guard duties, and routine maintenance support for key WOC sites. Specific depot locations and stock levels are not publicly disclosed.
Site Infrastructure and Basing (OSINT Overview)
Western Operational Command assets are garrisoned at established Belarusian military installations in the Grodno region and western Belarus. Open-source reporting places the 6th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade in the Grodno garrison area, while the 11th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade is reported in Slonim, and the 111th Guards Artillery Brigade in the Brest region. Precise street addresses, internal layouts, and storage-area coordinates are not provided, as such details are not consistently available in open sources and may be restricted.
Interoperability and Regional Context
Within the Union State framework, Belarus and Russia maintain a joint Regional Grouping of Forces and have conducted recurring large-scale exercises (e.g., Zapad-2017 and Zapad-2021) on Belarusian territory. Belarusian WOC training and mobilization infrastructure has hosted combined-arms activities, and certain Belarusian training areas in the western and Brest regions are regularly used for live-fire and maneuver training. These facts describe formal cooperation mechanisms; they do not imply permanent basing of Russian Ground Forces within the specific WOC sites listed unless separately announced by official sources.
Leadership (as reported; status subject to change)
Western Operational Command HQ: Colonel Vladimir Bely (reported). 6th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade: Guards Colonel Alexander Lavrenov (reported). 111th Guards Artillery Brigade: Colonel Nikolay Kudlasevich (reported; unconfirmed). Current assignments can change; public confirmation after October 2024 is limited.
Equipment Performance Notes
T-72B: 125 mm main gun with autoloader; typical baseline armor with Kontakt-1 ERA on many legacy vehicles; night-fighting capability varies by sub-variant and upgrades. BMP-2: 30 mm cannon, ATGM launcher (commonly 9M113); capacity for motorized infantry squad transport. 2S1 (122 mm): indirect fire support to brigade-level formations. 2S5 and 2A65 (152 mm): long-range general support and counter-battery; compatible with a range of Soviet/Russian 152 mm ammunition types. BM-21 (122 mm) and BM-27 (220 mm): area-saturation fires with a variety of warheads; range dependent on rocket type. 2K22 Tunguska: combined gun/missile SHORAD with radar and optical guidance modes.
Operational Roles and Tasks
The WOC’s mechanized brigades provide forward area defense and maneuver forces along Belarus’s western frontier; the artillery brigade delivers deep and general support fires; the EW battalion and communications regiment ensure spectrum dominance and resilient command-and-control; the engineer brigade enables mobility/countermobility and survivability; logistics and technical support units sustain combat operations; and the security/maintenance battalion protects critical installations. These roles conform to standard functions documented for comparable Belarusian army formations.
Data Fidelity and Gaps
Some military unit numbers, commander names, and exact garrison details can vary across open sources and over time. Items marked as reported or unconfirmed reflect public reporting without recent independent verification. Precise depot inventories, classified communications parameters, and restricted facility layouts are not publicly available and are therefore not included.