On March 24, 2024, a troop train No. 3501 (train index: 1682 017 1344) was dispatched from Zaslonovo station (Minsk Division of the Belarusian Railway) to Lesnaya station (Brest Division of the Belarusian Railway), consisting of 28 railcars, including:
- 2 passenger cars (with personnel of the Belarusian Armed Forces);
- 2 boxcars (with equipment and ammunition);
- 24 flatcars (with loaded military equipment: 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, Tunguska anti-aircraft missile-gun systems, MT-LB armored vehicles, and wheeled vehicles).
The train consist included military equipment and personnel of the 19th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade. Information about the 19th Mechanized Brigade can be found via the link.
Departure from Zaslonovo station – March 24, 2024, around 02:00 (here and hereafter – Minsk time);
Arrival at Orsha-Tsentralnaya station around 05:30 (locomotive change and locomotive crew change);
Departure from Orsha-Tsentralnaya station around 06:30;
Passing through the Minsk railway junction around 10:30;
Arrival at Lesnaya station around 14:00.
The troop train was hauled by a diesel locomotive on the section from Zaslonovo to Orsha-Tsentralnaya. Further travel from Orsha-Tsentralnaya station to Lesnaya station was carried out by electric traction with a VL80S series electric locomotive assigned to the Baranovichi locomotive depot (TCh-3, Baranovichi Division of the Belarusian Railway).
Train route to Lesnaya station: Zaslonovo → Orsha-Tsentralnaya → Borisov → (bypassing Minsk via: Kolodishchi→Shabany→Gatovo→Kolyadichi→Pomyslishche) → Negoreloye → Stolbtsy → Baranovichi-Central → Lesnaya.
Near Lesnaya station (Brest Division of the Belarusian Railway) is the 230th Combined Arms Training Ground of the Western Operational Command of the Ground Forces of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
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.
We previously reported that on March 13, 2024, a troop train was dispatched from Zaslonovo station to Oshmyany station (22 km from the Lithuanian border). This train included 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).
It should be noted that a combat readiness inspection of formations and military units of the Armed Forces of Belarus began on March 11, 2024.
As reported by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, the inspection is comprehensive. Personnel are to move to designated areas, conduct a series of exercises and training, including live-fire drills.
The ongoing combat readiness inspection is a form of response to the “Steadfast Defender 2024” exercises currently being conducted by NATO countries.
