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Lukashenko: Belarus does not have to choose between contract army or drafted service

MINSK, 26 February (BelTA) – Belarus does not have to choose between contract army or drafted service, President Alexander Lukashenko said at the meeting with permanent members of the Security Council on 26 February, BelTA informs.

“We have never fomented this issue, it has never been necessary. We did like former republics of the Soviet Union, including Russia, did. The issue is not as follows: contract army or conscripted service. We have replaced all army conscripts by contracted soldiers without any difficulties wherever necessary. This process is still in progress. I believe that life has showed and will still show where we should rely on permanent contracted personnel and where we need drafted soldiers,” the Belarusian leader said.

Alexander Lukashenko reiterated his firm conviction that a man must serve in the army. “Perhaps, a half of them did not go through this harsh school of life. And the ultimate motivation is that there is a profession to protect the Homeland. All people living in this land must protect their Homeland. God forbid we face a conflict, and a half of men will not even know what a weapon is, to say nothing about how it is used. So, at least men must service in the army. Of course, not only men can enter the army service now. There are a lot of women in our army too,” the head of state said.

“If we look at our and not only our history, we will see that men had to protect their Fatherland, their families and women since ancient times,” Alexander Lukashenko added.

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