MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) – Belarus’ Armed Forces are stepping up the level of combat readiness tests in response to existing challenges and threats, BelTA learned from Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin.
Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko went on a working trip to Oshmyany District, Grodno Oblast on 26 March. He was made familiar with progress of the ongoing campaign meant to verify the combat readiness of military units.
The defense minister went on saying: “Challenges and threats are rising and we raise the level of our [combat readiness] tests. The ongoing campaign is one of the largest ones as far as the scale is concerned. The 19th Mechanized Brigade, the 120th Air Defense Missile Brigade are being brought to full combat readiness. About 5,000 reservists are involved in these events. It is a very large number.”
“Today we see how much challenges and threats are increasing. Our neighbors practice military rhetoric. Certainly, we cannot be calm about it because we learned the lessons taught by history back in the day,” Viktor Khrenin stressed.
He also mentioned the highest motivation of the people and stressed that Belarus is not going to participate in an arms race with neighboring states. “The weapons our Armed Forces have will suffice. The key thing is the motivation of the people, training levels, keeping the hardware in good condition, the ability to repair, maintain, operate, and upgrade the hardware. We know how to do all of that and we actively take care of it.”
Speaking about the combat readiness verification campaign, the defense minister noted it is supposed to train military personnel, improve combat readiness and mobilization readiness, improve the skills needed to operate in previously unknown terrain.
“This is why the troops went to a real sector of terrain, real routes, a real border instead of a military training area. But they are busy accomplishing training missions. An environment has been created for them where there is no war yet but the adversary is getting ready for one. With our actions we demonstrate our resolve to defend the country. We are ready to defend our Motherland,” the defense minister stressed.
“We have to see and track the situation. Act decisively if necessary. Act fast if they attempt to provoke us. It is the main task,” Viktor Khrenin added.
