- Title: Belarus soldiers get pushed to their limits to join elite unit
- Date: 25th September 2019
- Summary: VARIOUS OF PRIESTS BLESSING SOLDIERS
- Embargoed: 9th October 2019 09:49
- Keywords: Belarus servicement Maroon Beret rank Belarusian Interior Ministry's special division Belarus Army Belarus Defence
- Location: VALOWSHCHYNA, BELARUS
- City: VALOWSHCHYNA, BELARUS
- Country: Belarus
- Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002AY5OTH5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Belarusian soldiers were pushed to their limits as they endured a gruelling two-day exam ending on Tuesday (September 24) to join an elite military unit known as the maroon berets.
Servicemen raced through an obstacle course, crawled through thick smoke and shot live ammunition from various weapons before fighting in a hand-to-hand combat contest to pass the physically demanding test.
Of the 70 participants, 24 were successful in joining the elite unit and were crowned with maroon berets.
"The main thing is to try as hard as you can," said soldier Dmitry Ratchkov, who passed the exam.
The test to join the unit is carried out twice a year in Belarus. The majority of participants are special forces officers or officers working for the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs.
(Production: Vasily Fedosenko, Dmitry Turlyun, Anastasia Adasheva, Lewis Macdonald, Louisa Naks) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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