Lukashenko visited artillery armament base in Gomel

The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has visited today the 1868th artillery armament base located in Gomel

The Head of State was informed about the history of the base and its tasks. In particular, it was noted that this military unit is intended for the repair and maintenance of rocket and artillery weapons, storage of their reserves, provision of the Armed Forces and territorial troops.

Aleksandr Lukashenko asked about the quantity of artillery equipment kept at the base, as well as the serviceability of existing weapons. The President got acquainted with the specifics of storing small arms and short-range weapons. As Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin reported to the Head of State, all small arms stored in the Armed Forces’ warehouses have been properly inventoried and are in perfect order.

“This is great! Well done! This is how it should be," Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “If you have done this, then this is good that you have sorted everything over in a masterly way.”

The Head of State was shown an assault rifle, among other weapons. The President asked whether it was new, or it was already used and then restored. The head of the base, Yevgeny Maslyukov, replied that it is difficult to guess if to be guided by how the weapon looks like: it is impossible to visually distinguish a new assault rifle from a restored one, since the weapon that needed repair and maintenance has now the state of a new one.

Hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers are also stored here. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he had done his military service with such weapons. “This is our weapon. We should know how to handle it,” the Commander–in-Chief stated.

Aleksandr Lukashenko was also reported by the Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, on the availability and condition of weapons, military and special equipment, stocks, missiles, and ammunition.

The Head of State then visited a workshop specialising in the repair of artillery weapons – in particular, the self-propelled Gvozdika and Akatsia howitzers, the army self-propelled Giatsint gun, and the automatic Vasilek mortar. The issue of import substitution was raised, and Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “It is necessary to get seriously engaged into import substitution. It is too expensive to buy from others. Make our industry work harder.”

The Belarusian leader also went to a workshop where optical and electron-optical devices are repaired – such as sights, binoculars, stabilisers and other products of the kind.

During his visit to the 1868th artillery armament base, Aleksandr Lukashenko was also interested in how discipline, work and protection of the unit are ensured. “Do we have the same protection for our nuclear weapons stocks?”  he asked and was replied, “Better.” “Even better? Could it be actually better?” the Belarusian leader wondered.

At the base, the Head of State was presented with a grenade – to have ‘his arsenal replenished’, as the military noted.

 photos: www.president.gov.by