The Western Operational Command today

On 5 September, the staff of the Western Operational Command, successor of the 28th Combined-Arms Army, will celebrate its anniversary since the establishment.

The official ceremony dedicated to the event will take place in Grodno on 5 September.

The history of the command goes back to September 1942, when the 28th Combined-Arms Army was established as part of the command of the Stalingrad military district in order to cover the Arkhangelsk direction and help Stalingrad. During the Great Patriotic War, the army covered the 2,500 km path from Astrakhan to Berlin, carrying their colours through the Kalmyk and Sal Steppes, Pryazovia, Rostov Region, Ukraine, Belarus, East Prussia.

Motherland highly estimated the command merits. 214 soldiers and officers were honoured the distinguished title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 36 of them became the full cavaliers of the Order of Glory. Moscow saluted 20 times to the victories of the 28th Army.

Throughout its history, such famous commanders as M. Gareyev, V. Lobov, B. Gromov, L. Maltsev, A. Kvashnin, S. Gurulyov and A. Mezhuye served in the command and headed it.

The present generation of the Operational Command soldiers respect and increases the traditions of the older Motherland defenders generation, demonstrating good results in troops training, service members field craft. The results of the trainings, in which the command constantly takes part, prove it. The service members of the 11th and 6th Guards Independent Mechanised Brigade also demonstrated their professionalism during the military unit inspection on the order of the Belarusian President.