Grodno-based army engineers to build pontoon bridge as part of snap drill

The pontoon and bridge battalion of the 557th Engineering Brigade has started carrying out missions as part of an ongoing combat readiness snap drill, BelTA learned from Sergei Bertosh, the brigade's Acting Deputy Commander for Ideology.

A snap drill designed to test the combat readiness of Belarusian army units began on 13 December upon orders of the Belarus president, who is the army's commander-in-chief. The drill proceeds under supervision of the State Secretariat of the Security Council. The 557th Engineering Brigade was ordered to deploy to a designated area in order to set up a pontoon bridge over the Neman River. The brigade will also have to organize defense and implement camouflage measures.

Sergei Bertosh specified the entire pontoon and bridge battalion will participate in the drill. The size of the pontoon bridge will be determined on the spot. It will allow vehicles to cross the Neman River soon. “I don't know yet what units will do it. But absolutely any vehicles of ours will be able to travel on this bridge,” he noted.

Sergei Bertosh pointed out the battalion had already built a similar pontoon bridge in Grodno to allow pedestrians to cross the Neman River for the duration of repairs of a nearby bridge in Popovicha Street. The same approach will be used during the combat readiness drill. The same battalion will be deployed. The pontoon bridge in Popovicha Street will stay in place.

BelTA – News from Belarus