Russian jets bolster Belarus parade in overt show of unity

Russia has sent fighter jets and combat helicopters to Belarusian military airports. Several MiG-29 and Su-35 fighter jets from the Russian Aerospace Forces have already arrived in Belarus from Moscow. This military equipment is set to participate in the military parade on July 3.

The appearance of the Russian aircraft in Belarus was reported by the monitoring group "Belaruski Hajun." This citizen group, established before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by activist Anton Motolko, noted that earlier, 11 Russian combat helicopters had arrived at the military airport in Machulishchy near Minsk, and a Russian Su-35 attack aircraft had landed at the airport in Lida.

The Ministry of Defence of Belarus claims that Russian planes and helicopters will participate in the military parade in the early days of July, on the so-called "independence day of the Republic of Belarus," established by Alexander Lukashenko.

According to TVP INFO, the July holiday on July 3 replaces the previous independence day of Belarus on August 25. Previously, this day, associated with the date in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, was considered the moment of Belarusian national independence.

However, the dictator Alexander Lukashenko banned celebrating the declaration of independence of Belarus from the USSR and reinstated the Soviet holiday on July 3, when German troops withdrew from Minsk in 1944. On that day, forces from both the Belarusian armed forces and the Russian Federation army march through the streets of the Belarusian capital.

This year will be the same, except the celebration will be moved to Brest. Preparations for this parade are ongoing. On Tuesday (ET), 11 MiG-29 and Su-35 fighter jets from the Russian Aerospace Forces arrived at the Baranovichi airport from the Kubinka Russian airport.

According to "Belaruski Hajun," the planes are part of the Russian Aerospace Forces' acrobatic groups Vitiazi (Su-35) and Strizhi (MiG-29). The military parade on July 3 will also showcase other aircraft.

There will be at least several dozen of them. According to sources, many Russian aircraft have already gathered in Belarus.

The list of aircraft involved in the parade on July 3 includes equipment from the Russian Aerospace Forces moved to Belarus in recent days. This includes one Su-25 attack aircraft, now stationed at the airport in Lida, as well as several fighter jets: 5 MiG-29, 6 Su-35, and 4 Su-30SM, parked at the Baranovichi airport.

At the Machulishchy airport, another 11 Russian helicopters are waiting for the July 3 celebration. Five are Mi-28, five are Ka-52, and one is a Mi-26.

The July parade in honour of Victory Day will be a show of strength. It will occur in the Belarusian city of Brest, near the Polish border.

Military equipment will drive through the city, and 450 soldiers will march, with military aircraft, including Russian ones, appearing in the sky.

In previous years, such celebrations occurred in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Moving this display to Brest is a message to the West.