Belarus has begun forming a new airborne assault brigade in the southern Gomel region, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Axar.az reports, citing Kyiv Post, that 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.

“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 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.