Units of the Northwestern Operational Command and special operations forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus are about to finish preparations for the Belarusian-Russian army exercise Union Shield 2019, representatives of the Belarusian Defense Ministry told. The units are now in the field polishing their skills of loading and unloading hardware to and from railway trains. They are also practicing the driving of combat vehicles, including across water obstacles and at night. Final readiness inspections and the relocation of the troops to the exercise area will be the next step. The army exercise is scheduled to take place in the Mulino exercise area of the Western Military District of the Russian army in Nizhny Novgorod on 13-19 September. It will represent the final stage in the two-year cycle of joint combat training of Belarusian and Russian army units.