Three camps in Belarus where mobilized Russians were trained allegedly being dismantled

According to Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Belarusian service, three camps in Belarus that have been used to train and equip mobilized Russian soldiers are being dismantled. They were able to make this determination by analyzing satellite imagery from Planet Labs.

The training grounds in question are Lepelski in Vitsebsk region, Repishcha near Asipovichy and Obuz-Lesnovsky near Baranavichy.

At the Lepelski and Obuz-Lesnovsky training grounds, tent camps for several thousand people appeared in October 2022 — shortly after mobilization was announced in Russia. The Russian military also used the Repishcha training ground before the war began. In the fall of 2022 a tent camp appeared there as well.

According to RFE/RL’s analysis, the camps were being dismantled at the same time — July 3, Belarusian Independence Day.

Experts, questioned by the publication, put forward several versions of why the camps were being eliminated. One theory is that Russia already has enough resources to provide training for mobilized people on its territory. According to another version, the camps were part of the “information campaign,” aimed to create and maintain the appearance of a threat of an attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, but after the transfer of the Wagner PMC mercenaries to Belarus, there’s no more need.

The experts did not rule out the possibility that the camps were simply being transferred to other training grounds.