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Lukashenko suggests summer army service for Belarusian university students

GRODNO, 19 October (BelTA) – Ways to deal with the problem of draft dodgers were mentioned as Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko met with students of Grodno universities on 19 October, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “If you dodge the draft today, I don’t know who you are going to marry after that. Today’s girls want a real man instead of someone simply wearing trousers. This is why I’ve been thinking about ways to train and make men out of the guys, who go to university. We give them a respite [for the duration of the university education] but once they graduate, they no longer want to join the army. They start looking for various ways [to dodge the draft].”

Alexander Lukashenko believes Belarusian university students may join the army for a couple of months during summer holidays. Belarusian guys will be able to get basic military training after the first year and master their army profession after the second year. “Depending on their aptitudes and what they study at university. If the guy goes for radio electronics, he will have to operate the [air defense missile system] S-300,” Alexander Lukashenko noted as an example.

Army training can continue during later years. This way young Belarusians will serve in the army without interrupting their studies. “After graduating from university, once they know the smell of gunpowder, they will be good specialists. They will be promoted to officer rank and will serve as officers for about three months after university, raising the young ones and so on,” added Alexander Lukashenko.

The president remarked that implementing the idea would not be a problem since Belarus is a compact country. However, he pointed out it is only one of the ways to deal with draft dodgers. The option has not been authorized yet. Various options are being evaluated.

“But a man has to know how to handle weapons. Otherwise, he will not be able to protect his family, his kid, wife, mother. Our function is to protect and die for the woman. It has always been like that,” stressed the head of state.

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