ORSHA DISTRICT, 14 July (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko inspected the production of rockets and small arms ammunition during the visit to the Ustye manufacturing and technical cluster on 14 June, BelTA informs.
Upon his arrival, Aleksandr Lukashenko toured the production premises. Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry of Belarus Dmitry Pantus told the president that the manufacturing and technical cluster is located in the territory of 277 hectares. The production facilities occupy only one tenth of this area. Plans have been made to start using all this territory in the coming years. However, the head of state doubts that the enterprise needs such a big territory.
“We need to mull over this issue in the near future, there should be no excesses. What for do you need such a big territory?” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered. “It is essential to sort things out this year. The governor is personally responsible for it.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko inspected the workshop where Belarusian ammunition is produced. The production range currently includes three types of ammo. The enterprise mastered the batch production of the 9mm Luger (9x19), 7.62х39, 7.62х54R ammunition for civilian weapons. The manufacture of 9mm Makarov and 7.62х39 ammunition for military-grade weapons will be launched soon. The estimated capacity is 30 million cartridges of different calibers per year.
The president was informed about the development prospects, the modernization and additional equipment of the workshop. The head of state also toured the workshop where used cartridges are recycled. They are cleaned and recharged, what is more economically-viable than the purchase of new cartridges.
Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the workshop for the regulation and repair of air-launched missiles. The head of state deemed it necessary to localize production, to produce missile envelopes, operation and navigation systems at the enterprise. “We need to do major things here,” the president said. In his words, it is necessary because of the unstable situstion in the world, emerging challenges and threats from external forces.
“Who can guarantee that we will not be at war? I cannot, no one can. The world has gone crazy. The war can erupt in any place at any moment, God forbid it starts here,” the Belarusian leader warned. In this context, Aleksandr Lukashenko deemed it necessary to teach the population the basics of handling smalls arms.
Of course, soldiers in the army are taught. However, many people do not serve in the army. It is essential to focus on them, the president is convened. “Why not teach students and other people to handle weapons, to assemble, strip and fire a gun? People need to know how to handle weapons so that they do not have to learn to do it in the battlefield at difficult moments,” the head of state said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also visited the testing range of the Ustye manufacturing and technical cluster and the workshop of high-precision devices where he was shown different samples of modern weapons.
