News & Events in Belarus

Lukashenko: Domestic weapons are foundation of any army

MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) – Even in the era of drones and ballistic missiles, small arms are vital for any army, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during his visit to the country’s fully domestic small army manufacturing site in Minsk Oblast on 18 August, BelTA has learned.

“It is people, the soldiers, who determine the fate of a battle. And this is exactly what soldiers need. Having served as a soldier myself, I know firsthand the importance of small arms. We can do nothing without these weapons, regardless of whether we have drones, ballistic missiles, and the like,” the head of state said. Consequently, it was decided to establish domestic production in the country.

“We did it ourselves. Well done for achieving this. There can be no war, no national defense without it,” the Belarusian leader stressed. “In order to fight, you must have small arms. Therefore, this is vital. It is the foundation of any army.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko brought up the core task: “The instruction was to develop a combat weapon with 100% localization. So, there are zero imported parts?”

“Absolutely none,” Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus assured.

The president particularly emphasized that the domestic small arms are already in service. Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin confirmed the quality and high demand for these weapons.

“Indeed, it requires continuous refinement and polishing. However, the fact that it is entering service with the Belarusian Armed Forces proves its value. I always tell the minister when we develop the first prototypes: ‘Examine, criticize, and push it to its limits... We must refine it here, so we adopt a flawless product,’” the head of state stressed.

The president visited the Kidma Tech manufacturing facility, where he inspected a proprietary, fully localized serial production line for small arms and the first domestic model, the VSK-100B assault rifle.

Aleksandr Lukashenko examined the combat weapons and the technical production processes, offering high praise: “Great job! You did fantastic!”

However, the president urged the weapons manufacturers not to rest on their laurels: “We need to push ahead and stop fearing that something is beyond our reach. We can do anything. Yes, we need equipment, but we must know how to operate it. You have mastered this. No one should spare money for such projects. It is a monumental task, especially if it pays off through exports.”

The head of state received the very first Belarusian VSK-100B assault rifle as a gift. The inscription on the gift’s plaque reads: “Not for war... For confidence in peace!”

The president instructed to display a deactivated copy of the assault rifle at the Palace of Independence exhibition. “It was tough and challenging. Other nations, like the Russians, have spent centuries developing small arms. Under a democratic dictatorship, however, we succeeded in creating this in a very short span of time,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

Roman Golovchenko, Chairman of the National Bank’s Board and former chief of the State Authority for Military Industry, underscored that Belarus’ small arms manufacturing was built completely from the ground up, independent of any Soviet heritage or traditions. “There is no Soviet legacy here. This industry was built entirely in independent Belarus,” he stated.

Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled the early days of his presidency when he made a personal decision to halt the squandering of the nation’s military capabilities. At that time, tanks and other military hardware were being chopped up for scrap and exported. “I didn't become a dictator [as Western politicians see it] because I actually am one, but because I stopped that destruction,” the head of state said.

The president’s working visit to Minsk Oblast extended beyond defense industry matters. Seizing the opportunity, the head of state asked Governor Aleksei Kushnarenko on the status of the ongoing harvesting and winter crops planting campaigns, providing essential instructions.

Kidma Tech is a research and development company, affiliated with the State Authority for Military Industry. It focuses on the R&D, production, and sale of high-tech dual-use products, encompassing small arms, optical surveillance systems, body armor, and robotics.

Belarus launched its initiative to develop domestic manufacturing of small arms and related ammunition in 2018. This led to the creation of the VSK-100 series 7.62x39mm assault rifle, marking the first domestic weapon to enter service in early 2021. Production of the rifle originally kicked off in January 2020 utilizing semi-knocked-down assembly.

Kidma Tech has designed 5 models and 6 variants of combat small arms so far, with 4 models already entering service.

In late 2023, a presidential decree launched a project to set up a proprietary, fully localized serial production line for small arms in Belarus. This was followed by large-scale efforts to redesign and renovate existing facilities, completely upgrading engineering infrastructure to accommodate the required manufacturing equipment. The project also involved purchasing machinery, acquiring technologies, and training personnel.

Work on developing a fully localized version of the VSK-100B 7.62mm assault rifle, the country’s first domestic combat small arms model, is nearing completion.

Chambered for 7.62x39mm, the VSK-100B assault rifle is an advanced weapon utilizing an AK-based design. It supports the installation of optical and electro-optical targeting systems along with auxiliary equipment, including bipods, silencers, under-barrel grenade launchers, and knife bayonets. The design incorporates a folding adjustable stock, a storage-integrated grip, and comprises 141 individual parts.

The integration of a reinforced barrel and receiver into the VSK-100B design increases barrel durability and enhances both accuracy and shot grouping over comparable small arms. Additionally, the option for auxiliary attachments enables the assault rifle to dual-role as a light machine gun and a sniper rifle.

Beyond the VSK-100B assault rifle, the facility’s future production line is set to include the Stylet-type high-precision bolt-action rifle, the PP-919 submachine gun, and a PKM-type machine gun.

Consequently, a domestic small arms manufacturing industry has been built in Belarus virtually from the ground up. Delivering on these projects will enable the country to reach complete technological self-sufficiency in the small arms production sector over the medium term.