Territorial defense seen as important component of Belarus' military security

BORISOV DISTRICT, 12 April (BelTA) – Territorial defense is an important component of military security, BelTA learned from State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich.

An exercise designed to check the readiness of Minsk Oblast territorial defense has been in progress in Borisov District since 20 March under the guidance of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister of Belarus Viktor Gulevich. State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, and Chairman of the Minsk Oblast Executive Committee Aleksandr Turchin checked on the progress of the exercise.

Aleksandr Volfovich said: “In line with instructions of the Belarus president the State Secretariat of the Security Council is conducting an inspection of the military security system. In particular, a unit of the Western Operational Command was brought to combat readiness in Slonim District not so long ago. The switching of a mechanized unit from peacetime footing to wartime footing in full is being practiced over there. It involves mobilization, delivery of material resources, getting all the military vehicles and hardware out of storage, and the organization of combat shakedown. A brigade tactical exercise will be held during the final stage. In other words, it is a fully manned army unit of about 6,000 people that will carry out missions to protect the country if necessary.”

In his words, territorial defense aspects are being checked and rechecked. “We are in Borisov District today where shakedown is in the final stage. We see that these matters are polished and thought-out. The General Staff coordinates the actions. Executive officers understand why it is necessary,” the official is convinced.

Aleksandr Volfovich added that Belarus had not started taking care of the matters of territorial defense the day before. “We understand it is an important component of military security. The organization of territorial defense began in the 2000s. All the matters of organization, planning, and perfection of territorial defense have been practiced since then. Neighboring countries followed our way, too. Poland, the Baltic states now realize that territorial defense is a necessary element of protection of the state. Today Ukraine has somewhat perverted its territorial defense. Territorial defense units over there have been converted into nationalistic formations. For pillaging and robbing instead of serving their country,” he stated.