Antiterrorist units from four CIS states compete in Belarus contest

Belapan news agency
9 Aug 05

MINSK

An international contest between antiterrorist units began at the
Belarusian Interior Ministry’s Almaz special antiterrorist unit on 9
August in Minsk. Twelve teams from Armenia, Belarus, Russia and
Ukraine are taking part in the contest. Journalists were told that
antiterrorist units from the Baltic States, France, Germany and Poland
refused to come to Belarus for political reasons.

[Passage omitted: Almaz unit represents Belarus, a Hero of Russia,
Sergey Lysyuk, is the chief judge of the contest.]

Representatives of China and Turkey are observing the contest.

Opening the contest, Belarusian Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumaw,
who was the first commander of the Almaz unit, said that, in addition
to the contest programme, antiterrorist experts will exchange opinions
on some areas of their activities. “I believe that we will strengthen
our cooperation in counteracting the biggest evil of the modern day,
terrorism,” he said.

The contest programme includes competitions in special physical
training (obstacle course), special marksmanship training, sniper
training, special engineer training, specific operational and tactical
training and special hand-to-hand combat.