Belarus Began Construction of a Military Training Ground Near the Border with the Chernihiv Region

Belarus has confirmed the location of a large military training ground — it is located near the Yakimovka railway station in the Gomel region.

Work is already underway, as confirmed by tender documents and satellite images, according to Flagshtok.

In early 2026, a tender for logging and stump removal appeared in public procurement, which directly states: “preparation of a site for the construction of a training ground in the Gomel region.”

This is the third phase of the project, which involves the creation of engineering and transport infrastructure and railway facilities in the area around the station.

Satellite photos show that the area has already undergone significant changes over the past month. The logging work is to be completed by the end of March 2026, with more than $350,000 allocated for this purpose.

According to the state program, $5.25 million is earmarked for the training ground in 2026, with the main work to begin in 2027–2028 with funding of $52.5 million and $86 million, respectively.

At the same time, construction is continuing on a military town near the village of Prybor in the Gomel district, where a new airborne assault brigade is planned to be stationed. The training ground will likely be an extension of these plans.

The first purchases for the training ground began in 2025. In particular, in December, the Gomel House Building Combine announced a tender for logging worth more than $2.9 million.

The scale of funding gives an idea of the size of the training ground. While in 2024, $518,000 was allocated for the felling of 60 hectares of forest for a military town near Pribor, now more than $5.8 million has already been allocated for similar work.

In addition to logging, preparations have begun for engineering and transport infrastructure, including a road from the Yakimovka station to administrative and training areas.

In August 2025, former Special Operations Forces Commander Vadim Denisenko announced that the newly formed 37th Guards Air Assault Brigade was to be stationed in the Gomel region. The training ground could become a key element of its combat training.

The Belaruski Haiun project first reported on the possibility of building the training ground back in 2023. At that time, it was assumed that one of the likely locations would be the forest near Borhov and Yakimivka, on the territory of the former 404th Missile Regiment.