Belarus Forms New Airborne Brigade Near Ukraine

Belarus has begun forming a new airborne assault brigade in the southern Gomel region, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Ukrainian border. According to ZN, Colonel Alexander Ilyukevich announced the creation of the 37th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade during a broadcast on the state-run VoenTV channel, noting that the unit is currently undergoing active structural expansion.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We have already begun the formation of military units. One battalion has been formed, officers have been recruited, and personnel have been drafted,” Ilyukevich stated. “This year, we are forming another battalion, alongside combat support units, artillery, anti-aircraft, and reconnaissance units.” The deployment of the 37th Brigade in the Gomel region is reportedly aimed at reinforcing Belarus’s southern flank, an area that military officials in Minsk have repeatedly characterized as a primary security concern. The new unit adds to Belarus’s existing airborne capabilities, which currently comprise three separate airborne assault brigades: the 103rd in Vitebsk, the 38th in Brest, and the 5th in Maryina Horka, located near the capital, Minsk. Border posturing and ‘personnel shortages’ The formation of the new brigade follows weeks of heightened military posturing by Minsk along the Ukrainian border. In early July, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service (DPSU) reported that Belarus was actively developing new military infrastructure – primarily training grounds and logistical hubs – near the border, though no significant concentration of troops was observed at the time. Other Topics of Interest Russia Launches 1,900 Drones, 1,600 Bombs in a Week Russian forces launched roughly 1,900 drones, 1,600 aerial bombs, and 144 missiles at Ukraine in a single week, targeting 16 regions. Later in the month, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko addressed an alleged “personnel shortage” within the armed forces, instructing Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin to send underperforming officials and agricultural workers to guard the southern border. “Anyone who fails to carry out orders should be sent to the army. Let them serve there. They can sit in the forest. They need personnel there too,” Lukashenko stated during a July conference call regarding the 2026 harvest campaign. “Everyone who doesn’t know how to work – into the army and to the southern border.” Despite repeatedly claiming that Ukraine poses a security threat, Lukashenko has maintained that Minsk has no intention of entering the war. However, Ukrainian intelligence officials continue to assert that Moscow is actively pressuring Belarus to increase its military commitments and further distract Ukrainian defensive resources. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.