MINSK, 24 February (BelTA) – Belarus would like to deploy tactical missile systems Iskander and air defense missile systems S-400 Triumf in its own territory, BelTA learned from Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 24 February.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Putin and I have agreed that I will think about what other modern military hardware we may need yet in order to cover these areas. Today I conferred with the military and we see it would be a good idea to deploy Iskander missile systems over there and one or two S-400 missile system squadrons somewhere else. So that we could monitor the situation all the way to Berlin. Because [the air defense missile system] S-400 Triumf can see all of it. It is a weapon that brings our adversaries to their senses.”
He noted: “So, today or tomorrow I will talk to the president of Russia about how we should get stronger here, in the western direction. Ukraine aside, but things are stirring up in Poland and Lithuania. Brigades, aircraft, helicopters, and the rest are being deployed. They have been deploying for some time already. Hardware such as Iskander and S-400 Triumf missile systems could be a most powerful deterring factor. We can do without it but it would be good to have it. Then they would hardly invade Belarus.”
The president explained that he draws attention to military security only because he does not want a possible border conflict to become a surprise in the future. “We'd better prepare in advance like the military people we are,” he said.
In his words, army units mainly remain in their permanent bases. Only the southern border has been reinforced and certainly the western part of the border. “Our military personnel expect the adversaries to need at least a month and a half to realize their intentions, in order to gather up and start a war with us,” Aleksandr Lukashenko explained. “This is why we started working here after getting information.”
