On March 13, 2024, troop train No. 961 (train index: 1682 098 1631) was dispatched from Zaslonovo station (Minsk Division of the Belarusian Railway) to Oshmyany station (Minsk Division of the Belarusian Railway) consisting of 46 railcars, including:
- 4 passenger cars (with personnel of the Armed Forces of Belarus);
- 3 boxcars (with equipment and ammunition);
- 39 flatcars: 12 flatcars with BMP-2 vehicles (24 units total), 9 flatcars with T-72B tanks (9 units), 3 flatcars with military engineering equipment, 15 flatcars with automotive equipment (30 units total).
The train consist includes military equipment and personnel of the 1st Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 19th Mechanized Brigade (military unit 14398) and the 4th Separate Tank Battalion of the 19th Mechanized Brigade (military unit 22092).
Departure of troop train No. 961 from Zaslonovo station – March 13, 2024 at approximately 12:50 (here and hereafter – Minsk time);
Arrival at Orsha station at approximately 15:00 (locomotive change and locomotive crew change); Departure from Orsha station at approximately 17:00;
Passage through Minsk railway junction at approximately 21:35;
Arrival at Molodechno station at approximately 23:35; Departure from Molodechno station at approximately 00:35;
Arrival at Oshmyany station at approximately 01:35.
The troop train traveled on the Orsha–Oshmyany section using electric traction with a VL80S series electric locomotive assigned to the Baranovichi locomotive depot (Locomotive Depot 3, Baranovichi Division of the Belarusian Railway).
Route of the troop train to Oshmyany station: Zaslonovo → Orsha-Tsentralnaya (Belarusian Railway) → Borisov (Belarusian Railway) → (bypass of Minsk via: Kolodishchi→Shabany→Gatovo→Kolyadichi→Pomyslishche) → Degtyarevka → Kryzhovka junction → Molodechno → Oshmyany.
The Ministry of Defence of Belarus stated that the loading of this train was carried out as part of a combat readiness inspection of formations and military units of the Armed Forces.
It was previously reported that the 1st Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 19th Mechanized Brigade and the 4th Separate Tank Battalion of the 19th Mechanized Brigade would be involved in the inspection. Formation of troop trains with equipment from the battalions was carried out at Zaslonovo station (Lepel District) from 11–13 March 2024.
As a reminder, a combat readiness inspection of formations and military units began in the Armed Forces of Belarus on 11 March 2024.
As reported by the Ministry of Defence of Belarus, the inspection is comprehensive in nature. Personnel are to advance to designated areas and conduct a series of exercises and training activities, including live-fire exercises.
The ongoing combat readiness inspection is a response to the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises currently being conducted by NATO countries.
