The Russian authorities have issued weapons to members of territorial defense units in the Belgorod region, state media reported Wednesday.
At a “solemn ceremony,” members of the force were reportedly given assault rifles, anti-drone guns, UAZ utility vehicles, and digital radios.
In early July, when Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced that the region’s territorial defense units would be given weapons, he said that they consisted of 3,000 people in total and that the regional authorities had begun forming another regiment with the same number of members.
The state news agency TASS reported that the Belgorod region’s territorial defense forces contain seven battalions, while RIA Novosti said there are eight.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the weapons were being issued in accordance with the law and that the Kremlin is not concerned about them falling into unintended hands.
After the issuance of weapons to the Belgorod territorial defense forces was reported in the media, Kursk Governor Roman Starovoit reported that the analogous formation in his region, the people’s military, will also receive weapons.
