Lukashenko: Belarus Is Preparing for War in Order to Avoid It
The head of state stressed that Belarus has no aggressive plans, yet the current situation requires keeping one’s powder dry and remaining prepared for a negative scenario.
At a meeting in the Palace of Independence, officials discussed the results of a surprise inspection of the Internal Troops and the tasks of raising the readiness of the entire security bloc.
National security has been and remains the number-one issue. Today Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting with the security bloc. The discussion focused on the conclusions that can already be drawn from the recent combat-readiness checks of not only the Armed Forces but also units of the Internal Troops. The President emphasized that Belarus harbors no aggressive plans, yet, given the situation around the country, it is forced to keep its powder dry. Western countries are actively increasing military spending on armaments. Therefore, Alexander Lukashenko was categorical: absolutely all state bodies of the security bloc must be ready to act professionally, confidently, and promptly.
National Security Issues
Every conversation with people in uniform raises the overall level of concern. But we are not like this — life is. The situation around us obliges us to keep military training and the coordination of the security bloc under constant special control. Although this meeting was planned to discuss the results of the combat-readiness inspection of the Internal Troops, at the outset the President made it clear that the discussion would be broader and would cover the provision of national security as a whole.
President: We Have No Intention of Attacking Anyone
“You have probably noticed in the media lately the close attention of our so-called Western partners to what is happening in the Armed Forces of Belarus. They were primarily concerned by the fact that we are conducting inspections of Armed Forces units too frequently, very thoroughly, and intensively. Not only of the army, but of all the Armed Forces,” the President noted.
“In this regard, taking advantage of the present occasion, I want to say to them that there is nothing extraordinary here. I have said frankly and honestly that we are preparing for war in order to avoid it. We have no intention of attacking anyone, as our Western ‘friends’ have recently launched a campaign in the media claiming that Russia will attack the Baltic states at a minimum, and possibly Poland, from Belarusian territory and together with Belarus,” Alexander Lukashenko stated.
“The second line of their so-called criticism of Belarus is that we intend to break through the Suwałki Corridor toward the Kaliningrad region. I do not want to justify myself to them here. This is complete nonsense,” the President added.
Alexander Lukashenko called “the nonsense that the Latvians created on the border” foolish. “That we allegedly penetrated their territory — people in masks, military personnel — grabbed someone, captured someone, or pushed some group of migrants there. You couldn’t invent greater nonsense,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
“Such operations involving entry into the territory of a neighboring state are impossible without coordination with the President. No such things were coordinated with me. Therefore, they were not carried out. I know this for certain, because your (the leadership of the Belarusian security structures) diligence is absolutely beyond doubt,” Alexander Lukashenko declared.
“We know perfectly well — and I have already been informed of this — that all of this was done as an information pretext so that the Latvians themselves could obtain money from the European Union,” the head of state said.
The head of state drew attention to the fact that the media constantly “amplifies this lie” directed at Belarus. “They need money. Neither the three Baltic states, former republics of the Soviet Union, nor Poland possess sufficient power to satisfy their desires. Especially in the military sphere. Like Poland — it buys tanks and other armaments, which are not cheap today. There is no firewood for the population, yet tanks and other military equipment must be purchased,” the head of state said.
Meeting at the Palace of Independence
No matter how turbulent things are on this track, no matter how Western media escalate tensions, and whatever unfriendly steps Warsaw or Vilnius may take, Minsk is always ready to extend a hand of friendship. Visa-free travel for neighbors and calls to build dialogue, while Western politicians mold Belarus into an enemy and hide behind fences.
“Do not justify yourselves to anyone. Thank them for building this fence. In the event of aggression from their side (and if aggression occurs, it can only come from their side; it will not come from ours), they will have to overcome this fence. This is advantageous for us. Therefore, if they build two more lines of such fences, we will only be grateful to them. This is utter nonsense on the part of certain military figures. More likely, not the military, but the ‘smart’ civilian ‘strategists’ there. This is their tactic — to fence themselves off. God be with them, let them fence themselves off,” the Belarusian leader stated.
Alexander Lukashenko noted that these fences are also of little use for deterring illegal migrants: “I have said before: for migrants to overcome this fence, as was previously reported to me, it takes from four to six minutes.”
“Well, they built this fence. They poured hundreds of millions of dollars into it,” the head of state noted.
Europe’s Course Toward Militarization
EU countries have embarked on a course of militarization. Ordinary Europeans have felt the inflation and the entire burden of social problems as a result. But politicians have taken the bit between their teeth. An endless arms race — according to experts, Europe has doubled its military spending in five years — and large-scale exercises near our borders. And now open speculation on the topic of Europe’s nuclear shield.
Western Speculation on Nuclear Weapons
“Looking at the aggressive plans of certain European states and their leaders that have already been voiced more than once, it is appropriate today to speak not of a shield. Rather, it is a sword in the hands of thoughtless politicians. But they must understand and realize that this sword is double-edged. I am speaking of nuclear weapons,” the President said.
Alexander Lukashenko noted that under such harsh conditions Belarus continues to implement a set of measures aimed at ensuring national and regional security.
The President pointed out that in the current difficult conditions and situation around Belarus, all state bodies of the security bloc are obliged to act professionally, confidently, and promptly.
Lukashenko: We Must Be Prepared for the Most Negative Scenario
The entire national-security mechanism must work like clockwork. All its structures — from the military to the police and border guards. That is precisely why, on the President’s instructions, large-scale checks are being conducted. Their concept has been approved and calculated through the end of the year. There will be no greenhouse conditions.
Moreover, the President sets the task of conducting them suddenly and precisely, as they would occur in real combat conditions. “In wartime conditions, I emphasize this especially, when unity and cohesion of all the Armed Forces are needed — not only the army, but the entire state,” the Belarusian leader stated.
“We must be prepared for the most negative scenario for us. And these scenarios have been calculated by us and are known. But a new round of aggression must not be allowed. Today no one needs it,” the head of state stressed. “There must be no actions on our part that could be regarded as aggression.”
Alexander Lukashenko recalled the experience of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, when in 1941 instructions came from the leadership to the Western Border District, including units located in Belarus, not to provoke or create any aggressive intentions on the part of the USSR, because the opinion was spreading that there would be no war. “We remember this,” the head of state noted.
“Therefore, we truly must not behave aggressively. That is true. But we must prepare for possible aggressive action from our neighbors or through the territory of our neighbors. We must always be ready,” the President emphasized.
Surprise Combat-Readiness Inspection
Since the beginning of the year a major control assessment has taken place in the Armed Forces. In September the State Secretariat of the Security Council inspected one of the formations of the Internal Troops. For the first time and unexpectedly. The goal was to see how quickly, coherently, and clearly the formations act and how adequately they respond to a complex and extreme situation.
As the State Secretary of the Security Council reported, in accordance with the concept no leniency was granted to the servicemen. “That is what I was informed, but I have other information. We will talk about this,” Alexander Lukashenko noted.
“I kept all stages of the surprise inspection under personal control and saw even what you did not want me to see. I was informed of intermediate results by the State Secretary, and not only by him,” the head of state stressed. “Today we have results that make us think about the further development of the troops — not only negative results.”
Alexander Lukashenko explained why regular inspections and training are needed, especially for those who will be called up from the reserve in wartime. “I will not hide this from my possible opponents in a future conflict — God forbid, of course — but I constantly remind the Minister of Defense that points must be designated in the country today where the Armed Forces will instantly, within a day (and our logistics in Belarus allow us to do this), deploy and occupy these points. Fortified areas, as we called them. There is a certain number of them on the western border,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed. “Every serviceman must know each point, especially the one we will call up from the reserve. I remember this from my own military service directly in the army. We were taught then: if something suddenly happens, you must be in that trench with such-and-such a weapon. That is what we are doing today, so that our servicemen know in which direction to act. They have been called up more than once, been in this fortified area, and know with what weapons they will defend our country.”
“And our opponents must know: we know our Belarus well. We know whether tanks can pass somewhere through forested and swampy terrain or not. If they cannot, where they will go,” he stated. “We clearly understand where we need to deploy the Armed Forces.” In this connection the President drew attention to the fact that under current conditions it will not be possible to lay roads through the swamps as was done at the beginning of Operation Bagration in 1944. Modern means of warfare, in particular drones, will not allow this. Thus there is a clear understanding of where a potential adversary can cross the border.
“That is where we must block all of this. Simple and clear; no great strategy is needed from the Ministry of Defense. I repeat: this is very important for those we will call up from the reserve, so that they know where they need to be,” he said. “Because Karpenkov (Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs — Commander of the Internal Troops Nikolai Karpenkov) will move his flying detachments where needed within a few hours. But after being brought up to strength and conducting combat coordination with the conscripts, they must know in which trench they will be.”
“I am saying this so that the Ministry of Defense and the minister understand what I want from you. This is not even the experience of the special military operation in Ukraine — this is ordinary experience in the Armed Forces. We are practicing this and must practice it carefully, without haste,” the Belarusian leader added.
Volfovich: Inspections of the Structures of the State’s Military Organization Will Continue
As for the inspection of the 7th Brigade of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, all tasks were fulfilled. Ten days in training-alert mode. Issues of transition from peacetime to wartime were worked out. The problems that were identified are solvable.
Alexander Volfovich, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus:
“They coped with the tasks, and quite well. Yes, problematic issues related to logistics and technical support were identified. Issues that need to be adjusted in command and control and communications organization. But all of this is solvable. Especially since the enterprises of our country’s military-industrial complex are among the leading producers of communications equipment. Therefore, I do not see major problematic issues here.”
Another stage of the inspection was company-level tactical-special exercises with units of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. And in conclusion — a check of the fire and physical training of each serviceman. “In fire training the Internal Troops were rated excellent. And they were rated quite confidently in physical training,” Alexander Volfovich noted.
He stressed that at the meeting the President asked not so much about positive aspects as about problematic ones. This was reported to the head of state. “A frank men’s conversation took place, clear specific tasks were set — by the end of the year to adopt all organizational and managerial decisions and subsequently see how this has been introduced and is used in the training system of the Internal Troops,” the State Secretary of the Security Council emphasized.
Large-scale inspections in the army and other security structures will continue. It is important for the President and Commander-in-Chief to see an objective picture. As it is for a commander of any rank. In national security there is nothing secondary.