- Title: Belarus soldiers get pushed to their limits to join elite unit
- Date: 25th September 2019
- Summary: VALOWSHCHYNA, BELARUS (SEPTEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) SOLDIER CLIMBING OVER RAMPS THROUGH SMOKE IN OBSTACLE COURSE SOLDIER WALKING ON ROLLING LOG THROUGH SMOKE SOLDIERS WEARING GAS MASKS CRAWLING THROUGH GRASS SOLDIERS RUNNING THROUGH SMOKE SOLDIER IN GAS MASK CRAWLING UNDER NETTING SOLDIER ROLLING INTO TRENCH AND CLIMBING OUT SOLDIER SHOWING SOLDIER DOING OBSTACLE COURSE WHERE TO GO NEXT SOLDIERS CLIMBING RAMP IN SMOKE SOLDIERS CRAWLING UNDER METAL BEAMS, ANOTHER SOLDIER HOLDING SMOKE IN THEIR FACES TYRE ON FIRE SOLDIER EMPTYING WATER BOTTLE ON HEAD OF SOLDIER DOING OBSTACLE COURSE SOLDIERS RUNNING CARRYING OTHER SOLDIERS ON THEIR BACKS SOLDIERS DOING OBSTACLE COURSE SOLDIERS DOING PUSH-UPS WEARING GAS MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SOLDIER WHO PASSED EXAM FOR SPECIAL FORCES, DMITRY RATCHKOV, SAYING: "Basically, to prepare for it, it is (unintelligible). The main thing is to try as hard as you can. Many people have tried, not all of them succeeded. It was my time to succeed." SOLDIERS HOLDING WEAPONS AMMUNITION LYING ON TABLE SOLDIER SHOOTING ROUND OF AMMUNITION FROM GUN (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SOLDIER, ARTEM MALAKHOV, SAYING: "Those who are physically fit will do well, they can try and complete it (the exam). The main thing is not to be afraid. You have to endure it, harness your inner strength and work hard for it." MAROON BERET OF ELITE UNIT ON TABLE SOLDIERS BOXING, OTHER SOLDIERS IN BACKGROUND TRAINER TALKING TO SOLDIER, SOLDIERS CROWDING AROUND SOLDIERS BOXING SOLDIER POURING WATER ON ANOTHER SOLDIER'S HEAD (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) FORMER BELARUS SPECIAL FORCES SERVICEMAN, RUSLAN GLADKOVSKIY, SAYING: "We have a tradition - two times a year we come to support the newcomers and help them. Today my brother took the test. He serves in a special reconnaissance unit, today he passed the test to wear a maroon beret." OFFICER AWARDING SOLDIER WHO COMPLETED TEST WITH BERET, SOLDIER KNEELING DOWN AND KISSING BERET AND PUTTING IT ON SOLDIER RECEIVING BERET, KNEELING DOWN AND KISSING IT
- 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: LVA001AY5OTH5
- 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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