Viktor Khrenin
BORISOV DISTRICT, 13 February (BelTA) – Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin talked to reporters on 13 February and explained what effect the snap inspection of the combat readiness of the Armed Forces is expected to produce, BelTA has learned.
Viktor Khrenin said: “As an effect we have to stay on our toes all the time. Military personnel should be ready morally and physically. And certainly, they need professional training.”
The minister remarked that if an armed conflict begins, the adversary counts on surprise and tries to dictate terms. “We should avoid a situation where we get overwhelmed, where we are at a loss and disperse. We should retaliate right away,” he stated.
When asked about the progress of the Belarusian army’s snap inspection authorized by the head of state, Viktor Khrenin noted that it is too early to sum up the results yet. “The commander-in-chief has personally inspected the combat readiness of the Armed Forces. He examined the deployment area and the battalion’s command post, heard a report from the commanding officer, and evaluated the accommodation and amenities available to the military personnel,” the Defense Ministry head pointed out.
Apart from that, the Belarus president checked shooting skills of the military personnel. “Yes, one shooter did not do well. Another one did better. But it will be just like that [in an actual firefight]. Some have better training. Some have worse training,” Viktor Khrenin stated.
He added that the battalion will have to participate in firearms training classes for three days. After that the military personnel will have to pass physical fitness tests. A commission led by the state secretary of the Security Council will evaluate it and will report the results to the head of state.
“As the president said, the inspection will last till spring. We have to be ready and we should stay on our toes. It is the most important task,” the defense minister stressed. “Moreover, the army units we’ve seen represent immediate response forces. They need to be ready to carry out missions.”
BelTA reported earlier that Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has personally inspected the combat readiness of the Armed Forces. As part of the ongoing snap inspection the head of state went to the 227th combined-arms military training area in Borisov District, Minsk Oblast.
The large-scale inspection of the Armed Forces began on 16 January upon instructions from the Belarus president. The primary goal is to see an objective picture, the real state of the troops, and evaluate actions of the military personnel. This is why the events are sudden. The way the inspection is organized has a peculiarity. The head of state puts military units on combat alert without involving the Defense Ministry and the General Staff.
Aleksandr Lukashenko personally monitors progress of the inspection and regularly hears reports from the state secretary of the Security Council.
The combat readiness inspection has been organized taking into account the experience of combat operations in modern military conflicts. The results will be fundamental to improving the Belarusian army.
Follow us on:
