Day of Fatherland Defenders: how the holiday’s name reflects Belarus’ defense strategy

MINSK, 23 February (BelTA) – Anatoly Bulavko, member of the National Security Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, spoke about how the name of the holiday celebrated on 23 February reflects the nature of Belarus’ defense in a new episode of BelTA’s Nation Speaks project.

In December 2025, three laws – On Defense, On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, and On Martial Law – were aligned with the Military Doctrine adopted at the 2024 Belarusian People’s Congress.

According to Anatoly Bulavko, these were not actually changes, but clarifications of the functions and powers of officials of military command bodies regarding issues of state security and defense.

“Due to the nature of my work, I communicate a lot with civilians and interpret this in military terms. Previously, when calling people up for training, there were always problems right away: ‘the quarterly report is urgent, can’t spare anyone, let’s do it another time’ – all sorts of excuses. Today, thanks to these recent changes, civilian management bodies have developed an understanding that the defense of the country is the most important area not only for the military, but also for all related organizations,” the MP said. “When it comes down to a choice between a quarterly report or restoring skills in using military equipment and tactical abilities, military training wins.”

This interconnection, established through carefully considered legislation, guarantees the comprehensive nature of Belarus’ defense. “Even the name of the holiday on 23 February – the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and the Armed Forces – emphasizes the nationwide character of defense. The Armed Forces are important, but the defenders of the Fatherland are the entire people: the grain grower in the field, the teacher in the classroom... All of this is thanks to thoughtful policy and legislation that we improve without hesitation,” Anatoly Bulavko noted.

When legislation is amended, doctrinal documents do not change the essence of military policy, it remains defensive, the MP noted.

“The changes concern adaptation to current conditions. Thanks to the activities of the state leadership and the General Staff, we have a unique opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes: from the mistakes of the Ukrainian leadership and the nuances of the Russian one. We use this and clarify the powers of officials and bodies in legislative acts,” he said.

Anatoly Bulavko stated that the fuss around the current combat readiness inspection under the leadership of the president is incomprehensible. “In addition to the office of president, he is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. He has the right to personally check it and he uses it. The mass media covered in detail the visit to the 227th training ground, where military units carried out tasks. Only the strong dare to speak about shortcomings, the weak try to cover them up. We are not ashamed to discuss shortcomings not for the sake of the shortcomings themselves, but so that they do not happen again, because any mistake at the training ground can cost human lives,” the MP emphasized.

Photos by Kristina Aksenova/BelTA