“To Preserve Peace Means to Be Worthy Heirs of Victors”: Lukashenko’s Charge to Belarus’ Defenders

“I swear to be faithful to my people.” On 23 May these words of the military oath rang out across the country as thousands of young men of the spring conscription took their sacred vow.

Understanding their duty, loyalty to the Motherland, rigorous physical and combat training — these are the pillars on which the Belarusian Army stands today.

President Alexander Lukashenko, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, attended the oath-taking ceremony at the Pechi training centre, one of the largest in the country. He spoke not only with the recruits but also with their parents, for, as he often says, “everything depends on the people.” It is they — devoted sons of their native land — who give the army its true strength and spirit.

The spring call-up is a time-honoured ritual for the Belarusian military. This year more than 10,000 young men took the oath nationwide, with 2,500 of them standing shoulder to shoulder on the parade ground in Pechi, near Borisov.

The 72nd Guards Joint Training Centre carries a proud legacy — it was once the most powerful training school in the entire Soviet Union. That is why it is common to see grandfathers and fathers who once served here now watching their own sons and grandsons take the same oath.

In Pechi, a month of intensive preparation also determines each recruit’s military specialty. The centre trains soldiers for tank, artillery, motorised rifle, engineer and airborne units, as well as future sergeants. It functions like a vast military academy: some stay on as instructors, while others are sent across the country.

An oath taken in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief carries special weight. As Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin explained, not everyone is selected for Pechi.

The entire military leadership of the country — the President, the Defence Minister and the State Secretary of the Security Council — once stood in the same ranks. They understand both the solemnity of the moment and the emotions of the young soldiers and their anxious families, who are seeing their sons for the first time in a month.

Addressing the new recruits, President Lukashenko said:

“The military oath is not just lofty words, a ritual or a nod to tradition. It is a truly adult and responsible step — not only in your own lives. By giving this sacred vow to your country and your people, you are giving it to your home and your family. You swear to carry out commanders’ orders without question, to observe military regulations strictly, and to protect the independence, territorial integrity and constitutional order of the Republic of Belarus.”

“From this moment your conscience and the law place the highest demands upon you. The title of serviceman obliges you to be steadfast, courageous, faithful to duty and to your country.”

No one harbours illusions: a soldier’s burden is never light. Yet the President expressed firm confidence:

“I am convinced that shoulder to shoulder with your comrades and under the guidance of experienced commanders, each of you will worthily complete this path.”

He reminded the young men that Belarusian history is filled with examples of ordinary boys — yesterday’s schoolchildren and students — who performed genuine feats. Their names are written into the chronicle of military glory. It is thanks to such people, to brave heroes, that for eighty years a clear and peaceful sky has stretched above Belarus.

“To preserve the peace we inherited at such a terrible price means to be worthy heirs of the victors,” the President declared.

He turned separately to the parents gathered on the parade ground:

“Years of colossal parental labour have been worth it. Be proud of your sons standing in this formation. Today the Motherland looks upon them with pride. I am deeply convinced that our boys will justify the high trust of the Belarusian people with honour.”

At the same time, he reminded commanders that they bear personal responsibility for the lives and safety of every serviceman.

To the new recruits he added warmly:

“Be proud of what you are doing. A real man must taste a soldier’s bread. Not everyone is capable of this, and, to be honest, not everyone strives for it. But you have taken this step.”

“I know it will not be easy. Not only because the physical demands are high. The hardest thing will be to adapt psychologically to a new way of life. But we will do everything possible to make this transition easier for you.”

The President gave a direct order to the Defence Minister, the General Staff and all generals: move away from excessive drill and pointless parade-ground marching. The army must train real specialists — men who can master complex equipment, handle weapons expertly, and emerge strong in both body and spirit.

“I very much want you, after this short but important period in your lives, to return home as true men,” he told them.

During the ceremony the Commander-in-Chief stepped down from the podium to speak directly with the mothers and fathers, reassuring them once more: “Everything will be fine with your children.”

He recalled that in his own time too much emphasis was placed on parade drill. “The thing I found hardest was the endless marching — the square, the square, the square…”

Yet the conflict in Ukraine has shown that physical fitness and the ability to handle weapons are of paramount importance. “So we will give them a proper physical load,” the President noted.

Such personal attention from the country’s leadership and local commanders means a great deal, the mothers later said.

After receiving a brief report on conscription figures and conditions, the President gave his final, deeply personal farewell:

“This is no joke, no sanatorium and no holiday. You will be dealing with complex equipment that demands care, attention and caution. It does not mean that on exercises or on the battlefield we should fear anyone. On the contrary — let them fear us. But we will always return alive, healthy and unharmed if we remain careful, attentive and cautious. We must protect our families and our parents. No one should ever mock them again as happened in the last war. Thank God we did not see it, but we remember it.”

In conclusion, Alexander Lukashenko wished the new servicemen courage and strength, and that they return home as wise and worthy men.

“Parents, thank you. Do not worry — we will do everything so that your sons become real men twice over. And to you, young soldiers, I wish courage, good cheer and the wisdom that comes with service. Happiness and success to you all!”

The ceremony ended with a solemn march-past. Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for — the tears of mothers, fathers, wives and the young soldiers themselves. For in that instant it became clear: the army is not something separate from the people. The army is the people.