Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: We won’t attack anyone, but we must ensure Belarus’ security

BARANOVICHI DISTRICT, 11 September (BelTA) – Belarus has no intention of attacking anyone but is obliged to ensure its own security, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during a meeting with the military at the Obuz-Lesnovsky combined arms proving ground on 11 September, BelTA has learned.

“Some are trying to reproach us, claiming that we are allegedly going to attack someone tomorrow. I repeat once again: we have no intention of attacking anyone, we are pragmatists. We understand that if we were to attack anyone – say, one of our neighbors – it would be suicidal. We cannot win a conflict against the ‘monsters’ located around our borders. To be completely frank, why start a war then? However, we are obliged to protect every centimeter, every millimeter of our land, defend our population, and ensure our security,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated. “This is our task, no matter the cost. Even if it costs our lives. We must prepare for this, and we are preparing.”

The remarks were made during a discussion on the modernization of the military communication system and the ongoing operational-special exercise of the Armed Forces’ Signal Corps. “We will conduct these exercises. We have the Ministry of Internal Affairs under operational control, and units are being deployed within the Armed Forces, some even according to wartime standards – for instance, an artillery brigade. We will continue this process [of training troops and improving the state’s military organization],” the head of state emphasized.

“And let no one – neither the Poles, the Lithuanians, the Latvians, nor least of all the Ukrainians – think that we are going to attack them tomorrow and are conducting exercises for that reason. No, we are preparing for any war in order to avoid it – a simple and clear formula,” the president said.

Speaking about the importance of military communication systems, he said: “We are already doing well in terms of firing and maneuvers. However, in order to execute these actions, certain commands are required, which would be transmitted via communication systems in the event of a conflict. Therefore, alongside machine guns, assault rifles, pistols, missiles, tanks, and other armored vehicles, we want to see how we will command and control this entire framework. We need a communication system so that the state as a whole can be managed in the event of a conflict, as well as the tools for this communication. Just so anyone listening understands exactly why we initiated all of this.”

As Major General Pavel Muraveiko, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defense Minister, reported at the meeting, an operational-special exercise of the Armed Forces’ Signal Corps is being conducted from 7 to 11 September. The objective of the exercise is to practice options for ensuring sustainable command and control of the state’s military organization, using new techniques and methods of organizing communications based on the experience of modern conflicts.

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