MOSCOW, 6 December (BelTA) – Russia can supply Belarus with S-400 air defense missile systems fast. The Russian reporter and military expert, Editor-in-Chief of the Russian magazine Natsionalnaya Oborona [national defense] Igor Korotchenko made the statement during a roundtable session in Moscow on 6 December.
Igor Korotchenko spoke at length about the need for Belarus-Russia military interaction for the sake of reinforcing the joint aerospace defense system. In his words, high-precision weapons, in particular, cruise missiles launched by aircraft and other platforms, represent the key offensive element in modern wars. This is why it is important to build up the joint air defense system and the air defense forces of Belarus and Russia at present.
Igor Korotchenko reminded that Russian air defense missile systems Tor-M2 will protect the Belarusian nuclear power plant from aerial attacks. “It is now the world's best small range system that can destroy a variety of targets starting with strategic bombers and ending with drones,” he remarked. “As far as we know, Belarus intends to continue buying Tor-M2 systems from Russia in order to build up its forces and to cover the most critical installations of the national infrastructure. Apart from that, President Lukashenko said he wants to buy Russian long-range air defense missile systems S-400. I believe we will find a way to satisfy wishes of our Belarusian partners as soon as possible within the framework of our military technology cooperation.”
“By reinforcing air security of Belarus, Russia takes care of its own security within the framework of the joint air defense and ballistic missile defense system,” Igor Korotchenko stressed.
“The military aspect as well as interaction between intelligence services, in particular, interaction between Belarus' KGB and Russia's FSB and Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, also represent an element of our response to the entire complex of threats that we see right now,” the Russian expert added.
