At the turn of February and March, the first military exercise of this year was held in the Libavá Military Training Area by the newly formed 241st Territorial Defense Battalion, which was established last fall through the transformation of the Active Reserve Infantry Company of the Brno Regional Military Command. A total of 130 active reserve soldiers took part in the exercise, including 35 new recruits. The training was therefore focused on comprehensive preparation, primarily in the areas of tactics, marksmanship, and medical training. Driver training was also included, and some of the soldiers were treated to a new experience that they had not yet had the opportunity to try in any other exercise.

On Monday, March 2, 2026, 20 soldiers from the 241st Territorial Defense Battalion moved to Znojmo, where they participated in training in the local underground. The historic underground tunnels provided an authentic and realistic environment for practicing movement and orientation in enclosed and complex spaces. The local underground passages are among the largest labyrinths of their kind in Central Europe.

The training took place without the use of ammunition and focused on activities in enclosed spaces (so-called CQB), adapted to the specific conditions of underground passages using night vision equipment. As this was the first exercise of its kind, the main objective was to methodically implement procedures in this type of facility, basic activities important for movement and communication, and to practice procedures in the event of an encounter with an opponent.

Along with active reserve soldiers, professional soldiers from the 74th Mechanized Battalion in Bučovice also took part in the exercise. The training was led by instructors from the Special Forces Support Center, who shared with the soldiers the knowledge of armies that have experience fighting in this type of urban agglomeration, such as the Israeli army.

This type of training is included as a supplement to standard tactical training for soldiers of the 241st Territorial Defense Battalion. However, given that this is a unit of the Territorial Forces of the Czech Army, urban agglomerations and built-up areas, including their underground parts, are also a natural part of the battlefield, as evidenced by the current conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.

Critical infrastructure facilities also have underground corridors and spaces, the protection of which is a key task of territorial defense battalions. Combat operations in these areas are specific and differ from classic "surface" combat. Anyone who has never been in such an environment is at a huge disadvantage. That is why the unit's command greatly appreciates the opportunity to train in this type of urban environment.

"Due to its saturation with drones, modern sensors, observation and reconnaissance equipment, the surface battlefield has become an extremely dangerous space where the movement and actions of units depend on the quality and quantity of anti-drone equipment. That is why it is very important to know how to use underground spaces, learn how to move around them effectively, and at the same time be able to defend them against sabotage or combat activities by the enemy," said Col. Alois Matýzka, director of the Brno Regional Military Command, emphasizing the importance of the exercise.

The exercise of the 241st Territorial Defense Battalion will continue in the Libavá Military Training Area and will last until Monday, March 9, 2026.