MINSK, 3 May (BelTA) – Air defense is the foundation of defense of any state, BelTA learned from Chief of the Air Force and Air Defense Command of Belarus’ Armed Forces, Major-General Andrei Lukyanovich.
Andrei Lukyanovich reminded that a session of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress took place in late April. It passed strategic documents: the National Security Concept and Belarus’ Military Doctrine.
“Our Military Doctrine is purely defensive. And air defense is the foundation of defense of any state,” the officer noted.
Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko watched an inspection of duty units of the Air Force and Air Defense Command on 3 May. According to Andrei Lukyanovich, the inspection was not a simple one: “The number of duty units was increased considerably. A complicated air situation was created. Additional aerial targets were deployed. All the targets were detected by radar troops and destroyed by air defense missile units at the far borders of the real kill zone. Aerial units also did very well and destroyed assigned targets. Practical elements of forcing [an aerial target] to land were also practiced.”
The head of state also visited the central command post of the Air Force and Air Defense Command a year ago, on 15 May 2023. Back then he was informed about the organization and fulfillment of air defense duty missions.
Andrei Lukyanovich stressed that the president pays a lot of attention not only to the development of the Armed Forces, to the modernization and acquisition of military hardware but also to social support for the military personnel.
“New air defense missile systems S-400 were commissioned by the army last year. Literally a couple of weeks ago we received the second batch of Mi-35 helicopters. We look forward to receiving another batch. We are also buying new hardware for radio warfare troops. Those are Belarusian products (Rosa-RB, Vostok) and Russian ones (Protivnik). We take good care of the peaceful skies,” the Chief of the Air Force and Air Defense Command added.
