In the interests of national security

Defence Minister: ‘Our main task is to prevent aggression and war in Belarus’

How only did the West not show its hypocritical grin. How only did they not rattle weapons at our borders. Having declared their ‘crusade to the East’, they hoped to swallow Belarus as well. But they choked. What and why is happening now at our borders, what is the general military-political situation and what conclusions we have drawn — read in an exclusive interview with the Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin.

Security is the main thing for Belarusians

— These meetings, when the heads of law enforcement agencies told people about the military-political situation in the country and at our borders, are very important. Especially for those living on the border. What interests the citizens, what questions did they ask you? 
— The decision on this form of informing the population was made by the Head of State after the reports of the heads of law enforcement agencies on the current situation. The Commander-in-Chief said that these data must be conveyed to our people. Which is what was done. Moreover, we did not correct our report: the citizens heard the same thing as the President.
Belarusians are primarily interested in security, which means stability and understanding of how to live on. They asked what is being done for this and whether everything has been done, how to behave in this or that situation... There were many questions, and we answered them honestly and openly.
— Well, people can see very well that there is military equipment, a build-up of military forces near the western borders, they see the provocations of the southern neighbour. 
— Belarusians are smart people, they see what’s going on. They compare facts, analyse and draw conclusions. Therefore, it is important to provide people with reliable, operational information about the emerging military-political situation, to provide them with specific facts and figures. Tell them about what is happening near our borders and what measures are being taken by the country’s power bloc. 
The military department must have operational data in order to prevent an armed invasion, aggression against us. Therefore, we monitor the situation with our neighbours, in the same Ukraine, the Baltic countries... Which, by the way, are still called neighbours, although they perceive us as enemy, for example, during their exercises. However, this is not the position of citizens of these states, they just see and understand everything. Their leadership is hostile, it was they who launched the so-called ‘crusade to the East’.
We draw conclusions from the events of both 2020 and 1941. Today we see something similar with what happened at our borders before the Great Patriotic War. Let’s remember what we were promised after the collapse of the Soviet Union? That there will be no advancement of NATO to the East. Fine. But what do we see now? NATO troops near Belarus. They call our country an aggressor, although they cannot give a single fact to confirm it... In general, we see a true hypocrisy and a blatant lie.
Photo by Aleksey Vyazmitinov

— The President has repeatedly said: ‘We are a peaceful state. We do not want to fight, but we are ready to defend our Motherland.’ The question is: have we done everything in this direction, are the measures taken enough to ensure security?
— The Commander-in-Chief has repeatedly said that Belarus is a peace-loving and benevolent country. And these are not just words, this is a fact, proven in practice. We do not threaten anyone and still want to live peacefully, quietly in our own home, in co-operation and on good terms with all our neighbours.
The Armed Forces are not an instrument for waging war, but an instrument for preventing it. And we, people in uniform, are ready to do everything to maintain peace and security on Belarusian land. Based on the current situation, we are implementing a set of preventive measures to counter challenges and threats. We do it professionally, we cope with the tasks.
They are again trying to accuse us of co-operation with Russia. And this despite the fact that our countries are connected by a centuries-old history, friendship, and often family kinship. Our peoples have always helped each other in difficult times, together we defended freedom and independence, fought against external enemies, worked hand in hand. So those who use this kind of accusatory rhetoric should just look around. Today, no state alone can provide security. Look at our northwestern neighbours who are hosting military bases, US and NATO military formations both on a permanent and rotating basis, improving military infrastructure, and so on. 
Indeed, foremost we rely on ourselves. However, we understand that if help is needed, we have a reliable ally. Therefore, we will continue to take joint measures to prevent military threats to the Union State. At the same time, I want to recall the words of the Commander-in-Chief: ‘We will fight, struggle and die on our land’.
You asked me if we’ve done everything? If I say ‘everyone was done’, it is kind of complacency. Of course, there is still a lot to be done, and we are working on it. The most important thing is that we see problems, solve them and move forward.  

They don’t want peace, they seek war

— The West has long made no secret of its preparations for the conduct of hostilities. What does it look like now? How are Poland and the Baltic countries arming themselves?
— The situation around Belarus remains difficult. This is facilitated by the provocative policy and actions of the United States and NATO supervised by them, which actually translate the world military-political situation into an ultimatum dialogue from a position of strength. A direct consequence of this trend is the increased militarisation of the territories near our border, as well as in Europe as a whole.
In particular, the unprecedented build-up of the presence of American and NATO military formations in the Eastern European region, including on the territory of states adjacent to our country, under the pseudo-slogan of protection against the ‘threat from the East’ continues. Already, more than 60,000 US troops are permanently stationed in Europe, as well as about 36,000 as part of ongoing operations in Eastern Europe, of which more than 22,000 are concentrated in Poland and the Baltic countries. In addition to the ground grouping, an aviation group has been created in the Eurozone, which already now has over 2,200 combat aircraft (including about 140 in neighbouring countries). 

Neighbouring states concentrated their main efforts on increasing defence spending, increasing the size of their national armed forces, intensifying the supply of modern strike weapons to the troops, and improving military infrastructure.

 For example, Poland plans to increase funding for the defence sector to 3 percent of GDP as early as 2023 (this year — 2.2 percent), increase the number of national armed forces to 300,000 military personnel (up to 250,000 professional military personnel (now — 115,500) and up to 50,000 assigned members of the territorial defence forces (now — about 27,000)).
One of the important directions in the defence construction of the Eastern European states is the improvement of the military infrastructure, primarily in the interests of expanding the possibilities for receiving and deploying foreign military contingents. At the same time, the main content of the activities of our western neighbours in this direction is the modernisation of airfields, naval bases and ports, the creation of advanced bases for the early placement and storage of equipment, weapons and materiel (primarily in the interests of the US Armed Forces), the reconstruction of training centres and training grounds to support the activities of NATO Allied Forces military contingents.
Photo by Yury Mozolevsky

The modernisation of most of the airfields in Poland and the Baltic countries (Malbork, Poznan-Krzesiny, Miroslavets, Minsk-Mazowiecki, Lask (Poland), Lielvarde (Latvia) has already been completed, which together ensures the basing of up to 200 combat aircraft on them. Measures are ongoing to improve other facilities (airfields in Powidz, Krakow-Balice, Deblin, Swidwin (Poland), Zokniai (Lithuania), Amari (Estonia). Naval bases and ports are being actively modernised, which increases the ability to receive military cargo, landing and attack ships of the alliance.
In Poland, a forward bridgehead is being created for the storage of equipment and supplies of the US Armed Forces (Powidz). Training centres and training grounds are being upgraded to support the activities of NATO military contingents (Drawsko, Ozhysh, Zagan, Demba, Wandzin (Poland), Pabrade, Gaiziunai (Lithuania), Adazi (Latvia).
Under these conditions, the scale and intensity of operational and combat training activities on the territory of countries adjacent to Belarus are constantly expanding, with a simultaneous increase in the number of forces and means involved (2021 — more than 230 exercises, over 320,000 people and about 20,000 armaments and military and special purpose equipment were involved; 2022 — about 280 exercises, more than 500,000 people and 27,000 units of military equipment).

The analysis demonstrated that the West is working out issues of an offensive nature, and Belarus and Russia are already directly considered as an adversary.

Reconnaissance is underway. There is a high intensity of reconnaissance aviation flights of the United States and its allies, including those near the borders of Belarus, using the entire available arsenal — from strategic reconnaissance aircraft to tactical aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. 

The intensity of reconnaissance against our country has increased from 30 sorties per week in 2021 to 65-70 in 2022.

If we summarise these facts, considering a set of military measures by the US and NATO to contain the so-called threat from the East, we can state that preparations are underway for conducting military operations in the eastern direction. We see this and draw appropriate conclusions. The ‘colour revolution’ in Belarus failed, but the issue has not been removed from the agenda, and the hypocritical struggle against us and Russia continues.
— The conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West poses a threat to the security of our state. How would you characterise the current situation in this area and what conclusions have we drawn from the Russian special operation?
— The conflict near our southern borders cannot but affect the country’s military security. It is a hotbed of tension throughout the region and is an external manifestation of the global confrontation between West and East.

An analysis of the course of the special operation in Ukraine shows the direct interest of Western countries: firstly, in protracting the military conflict in order to weaken Russia, and secondly, in the readiness to fight at the hands of Ukrainians up to the ‘last soldier’.

This is confirmed by the unprecedented support of the United States and the collective West of Ukraine in almost all areas, incessant financial injections, pumping up the Ukrainian army with modern weapons and equipment.
PHOTO BY YURY MOZOLEVSKY

Also, Western countries are updating weapons through the disposal of obsolete samples supplied as part of the provision of military-technical assistance, and also use the territory of Ukraine as a testing ground. In addition, the West is training nationalist military formations in Ukraine such as the Kalinovski Regiment and the Pagonya Regiment, which gain experience in actual combat operations there and can be used against our country in order to seize power in Belarus by force.
The involvement of additional forces by Ukraine to serve on the border, the involvement of units of the national armed forces, formations of territorial troops near the borders of our state create risks of provocations that can develop into border armed incidents.
Taking into account these factors, the Defence Ministry specified certain issues of the construction and development of the Armed Forces, the content of their training. Together with Russian colleagues, a set of measures is being implemented to ensure the military security of the Union State.

On the regional grouping of troops, mobilisation and people’s militia

— What tasks are now facing the regional grouping of troops?
— What is a regional grouping of troops? This is a complex organisation with many components, with controls, forces, troops and logistics. We have already conducted various exercises, including with live firing and launches of anti-aircraft guided missiles, as well as special tactical exercises to work out issues of engineering equipment for regions and borders, organisation of communications, security, and so on. Various options for countering possible challenges and threats were worked out, as well as various approaches to the use of a regional grouping of troops. It can be deployed in stages or all at once. Now we are doing it step by step. This is an adequate response to NATO’s actions in the region and a demonstration of our determination to defend our land, the Union State. The tasks of the regional grouping themselves did not change. As before, they remain defensive in nature. 
— What conclusions have been drawn by our military department based on the experience of partial mobilisation in Russia?
— Of course, we are analysing the experience of our neighbours in conducting mobilisation activities. Firstly, these are issues related to the military registration of citizens in the reserve, including the determination of the quantitative and qualitative composition of available resources. This is necessary for understanding the situation and a rational approach to ensuring defence and military security.
PHOTO BY YURY MOZOLEVSKY

I will not disclose military secrets, recalling that the task of the Armed Forces is to ensure combat and mobilisation readiness. We have been holding mobilisation assemblies for many years in a row. Mobilisation is very important for our country, at least from the point of view that we do not maintain an army on the scale that is needed to repel aggression. The country’s economy will not survive. Therefore, we decided on the number that is optimal, taking into account the mobilisation resource, the training of the population.
Checking the status of those liable for military service in the country is systematic and planned. Yes, in connection with the instruction of the Commander-in-Chief, work in this direction has been intensified. Citizens are called to the personnel authorities at the place of work and study, to the military commissariats, their separate divisions and local authorities, where the necessary data is specified in the conversation. Thus, there is no cause for concern.

We plan to complete the main work on checking the data of those liable for military service by the end of this year. However, I can already say that more than a million people liable for military service have been checked. Citizens react absolutely calmly to this, they come to the commissariats and check their data. 

By the way, we also see an increased interest from women in obtaining elementary skills in military training. They say they want. They are welcome. The country has both a system of initial military training and pre-conscription training centres. And we do not stop there, since there is a request.
In addition, taking into account our experience and the experience of our Russian colleagues, we will correct some points in the legislative plan. Active work is underway to prepare proposals for amending a number of legislative acts. Soon they will be submitted for consideration by parliamentarians and public discussion.  
— What are the tasks of the territorial troops? And at what stage is the formation of the people’s militia now?
— The troops of the territorial defence of our state are a highly organised and trained organisation, equipped with weapons and trained personnel. Depending on the current situation, they are able to solve a wide range of tasks — from the protection and defence of civilian infrastructure and the implementation of measures to ensure martial law to participation in measures to strengthen the protection of sections of the state border.
As for the second question: now, together with interested government agencies, work is underway to determine the legal foundations of the people’s militia, the procedure for recruiting and training it. Detachments will be formed in wartime from citizens who voluntarily expressed a desire to serve in the militia. These can be not only citizens who are subject to conscription for military service for mobilisation, but also not registered in the military.

Belarusian folk wisdom: not to rattle the sabre, but to negotiate

— Politicians from the US and the EU rant about nuclear war almost daily. It was reported that organisations in Ukraine have instructions to create the so-called ‘dirty bomb’. What is the point of a nuclear strategy that is dragging the world to the abyss?
— What is nuclear strategy? In theory, this is part of the state’s national security strategy, reflecting the views of its military-political leadership on the creation, development and use of nuclear weapons. It is logical that nuclear strategies have a limited number of states possessing such weapons.
All nuclear strategies have national specifics. At the same time, their essence lies in the consideration of nuclear weapons as a guarantor of strategic stability, national and military security, a means of deterring and intimidating a potential adversary. That is, nuclear strategies are defensive, not offensive, and are aimed at strategic deterrence and prevention of threats to national and collective security.

In the context of the aggravation of the military-political situation in Europe, some Western politicians deliberately increase the degree of nuclear rhetoric, and the media, unfortunately, pick it up and amplify it even more. 

At the same time, in my opinion, the military-political leadership of all nuclear powers still has an understanding that there will be no winners in a modern nuclear war. Therefore, there is no need to raise the degree of tension on this issue. We need to calm down and sit down at the negotiating table. Let me also remind you that today, of the nuclear powers, only the United States is a state that has twice used nuclear weapons. Some Western politicians need to turn more often to the epitaphs carved on the monument in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park: ‘Rest in peace, for the error shall not be repeated’. 
— Describing the military policy of Belarus, you said that it would be expedient not to rattle the sabre, but to sit down at the negotiating table. With whom are we ready to talk and are there those in the West who are capable of this?
— Belarus has been working on the reputation of a peaceful and negotiable state since the first days of its independence. We have always pursued a multi-vector and transparent foreign policy and adhered to the fundamental principles of international law.
Photo by Pavel Bogush

The need to sit down at the negotiating table in the context of the escalation of the military-political situation in Europe is obvious. Negotiations will begin in any case, this is a natural outcome of any conflict. However, every day of delay costs human lives, not to mention the destruction of infrastructure, the growth of hatred between entire nations.
Negative trends in bilateral and multilateral relations with individual states have been growing over the years, culminating in recent times. Despite the fact that extremely incorrect formulations regarding the top political and military leadership of Belarus, as well as our country as a whole, have become the norm for Western and Ukrainian politicians, we remain ready for a dialogue on the military line even today.

We also receive signals of readiness for negotiations from our Western colleagues, as well as return to a constructive dialogue on security issues in the region. Unfortunately, the opinion of the military in the West is practically not taken into account. Fateful decisions for entire peoples are made by political forces seeking to redistribute the world by proxy, and by corporations that directly benefit from the next round of the arms race.

The Belarusian people, unlike many others, remember well what it means to live in conditions of war and rebuild the country from the ruins after it ends. Therefore, I can repeat once again: we are ready for negotiations and hope that they will begin as soon as possible. We proceed from the fact that there are still political forces in the West capable of adequately assessing the military-political processes taking place in the world. And we are still counting on their early positive response to our appeals.
— Back in 2020, I saw in you a person who will do everything to make everyone in our country feel safe. I saw a leader who has a plan of action. What is the plan now?
— The action plan is the same, it is based on our state. Indeed, we, the heads of departments, have a responsibility. The main thing for me is to preserve sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the constitutional order. I personally will do everything for this. And I am sure that I have an excellent team that will also do everything to ensure that neither 2020 nor 1941 is repeated. So that we can continue to live and work in peace on our beautiful land. So we continue to work and fulfil the tasks set. That is my plan. 

Interviewed by Lyudmila Gladkaya