Military expert: Do you think Lukashenko will let 30 years of nation-building be destroyed?

MINSK, 27 December (BelTA) - Belarusians do not want war, because over the past century they have endured more than many other peoples, Andrei Bogodel, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Education and Science – Head of the Education and Methodology Department of the Faculty of the General Staff of the Armed Forces at the Military Academy of Belarus, said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel..

Speaking about Belarus’ position, the expert emphasized that the country has always advocated for peace and the diplomatic settlement of any conflicts. At the same time, the country understands it must be able to defend itself in case of external aggression. “So today we come back again to what Trump talks about: peace through strength. We say that peace must have fists,” said Andrei Bogodel.

Belarus, landlocked and without the corresponding opportunities to trade by sea with all partners, understands how important it is to preserve peace. “Why do we need this war? What for? To plunge 9.5 million people completely into this war? Of course, that is the greatest foolishness. There are no people in the world today that suffered more during the last war than the Belarusian people. Right now we have raised the issue of the genocide of the Belarusian people again. We are opening archives everywhere, conducting excavations. But it is a horrifying picture we didn’t even fully know until now. That is, the loss of every third person. It’s even impossible to imagine. Does anyone really think this people would agree to that again? Let’s just say, in the last century, more has befallen Belarusians than many peoples with thousand-year histories. In just one hundred years, we have swallowed so much of this grief, God forbid! Do you think Lukashenko will just let everything he has built for over 30 years be handed over for destruction? For everything here to be plowed up by shells and missiles? I would never believe that in my life. He is right when he says that if necessary, we will all take up arms. If need be, Bogodel, Lukashenko, Khrenin will perish for their Motherland, but we will not give our land to anyone. But we must also clearly understand that our land was created only for building upon. And so that our Belarusians can live on it,” said Andrei Bogodel.