Russian, Uzbek special forces in Belarus for competition.

A special operations forces competition involving teams from Russia and Uzbekistan has begun in Belarus. The competition started on 24 September and will end on 28 September, taking place in Maryina Gorka, Pukhovichi District, Minsk Oblast.

Training of Belarussian special forces (Picture source: Belarussian MoD)

The competition features an individual event, a team event, and a duel shooting. The individual event involves exercises for sniper pairs, individual shooters, and combat medics. The duel shooting includes two stages. Sniper pairs from each team will compete in the first stage. Two shooters from each team will compete in the second stage. The special operations forces of the Belarusian army will be represented by three teams.

Like all post-Soviet states, Belarus inherited its special forces (Spetsnaz) units from the remnants of the Soviet armed forces, GRU and KGB units. Belarus's units conduct joint exercises with the Armed Forces of Russia in which the nation's special forces participate extensively. Army special operations forces include the following units: the 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade (Brest), the 103rd Guards Airborne Brigade (Vitebsk), and the 5th Spetsnaz Brigade (Marina Gorka). There are units to perform the tasks of particular importance: 33rd Guards Spetsnaz Detachment (complete with officers and warrant officers), a special purpose detachment of 5th Spetsnaz Brigade (known as "company officer"), 527th Spetsnaz Company, 22nd Spetsnaz Company (Western Operational Command). The KGB of Belarus is the Belarusian national intelligence agency. It was formed from the inherited personnel and operators after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The agency controls its own Spetsgruppa "A" (Alpha Group), which is the country's primary counter-terrorism unit.