Opinions & Interviews
Lukashenko: Belarus is fully determined to counter any aggressor, to inflict unacceptable damage on it
MINSK, 25 April (BelTA) - Belarus adheres to the strategy of inflicting unacceptable damage to an adversary, Belarusian President, Chairman of the 7th Belarusian People's Congress Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the 7th Belarusian People's Congress on 25 April, BelTA has learned.
“Even before the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus, we were determined to inflict unacceptable damage to the enemy. We wanted them to understand that we are ready to strike in a way to inflict unacceptable damage on them,” the head of state said.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, a number of neighboring countries are “armed to the teeth”, with huge numbers of troops deployed near the borders of Belarus. But Belarus has the necessary arsenal for deterrence, including nuclear weapons.
“How can we deter them? Well, here come nuclear weapons. We do not threaten anyone with nuclear weapons. We are not attacking anyone. This idle talk about Putin placing them [nuclear weapons in Belarus], and Lukashenko not using them if a war starts against Belarus, is nonsense. You know me well. They also know very well that if they set foot on the Belarusian soil, they will get an instant response with all kinds of weapons from us, including from the Russian Federation. You have recently heard President Putin's statement that an attack on Belarus will be regarded as an attack on the Russian Federation. Therefore, today we are fully determined to counter any aggressor and inflict unacceptable damage on an adversary,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
“So you’d better think before you create coalitions, move armed forces to our border, and force us to put our battalion tactical groups on alert... Well, we do not have that many troops yet. I am not going to conduct mobilization. They should understand that their capitals are very close to our border. Therefore, those who make decisions will make legitimate targets.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled how in the early years of independence Belarus was required to renounce nuclear weapons and also destroy conventional weapons: “Everything was destroyed: aircraft, tanks, artillery units. I remember my visit to Borisov and a terrible picture I saw there: overturned tanks, BMPs. For me, a man who had recently served in the army as an officer, it was not just incomprehensible. It was a disaster. And then, perhaps not having such powers but I ordered to stop this. I forbade the destruction of armored vehicles. Everything was cut into pieces, loaded into trains and taken to Germany for melting. The most valuable thing there was armor."
As for nuclear weapons, the president once again stressed that it was at his insistence and request that Russia deployed the nuclear arsenal in Belarus: "Many people say: 'Russia has deployed weapons here and put us at risk.' Before the deployment of nuclear weapons, I appealed publicly to the Russian leadership, the Russian president, to bring back nuclear weapons."
The matter was about the deployment of tactical weapons. "There may be no need to redeploy strategic weapons here. We are not going to go to war with America. Strategic weapons are intercontinental ballistic missiles, which were once deployed in our country [during the Soviet era]. With regard tactical weapons, they must be on the territory of Belarus. Since they recognized us as co-aggressors (‘Putin and I are the world’s main aggressors’), the leadership of the Russian Federation, having examined all the facts, made a decision (I emphasize once again, at my insistence, and not because they wanted to create a nuclear weapons base here) to deploy the x number. Of nuclear weapons here. I won't cite figures. But I have already said it is several dozens of the most advanced nuclear weapons," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The head of state recalled that he had decided to get Iskander missile systems deployed in Belarus. "I have made a decision to bring these weapons here. It is a very dangerous and very powerful weapon system. It has already proved its worth itself in Ukraine with conventional missiles. The Defense Ministry and the General Staff know well what to do and in what situation," the Belarusian leader said.
There are enough conventional weapons in the country, although Belarus itself does not produce many types of them, such as aircraft, air defense systems or tanks. "The Russians, being our closest allies and people interested in stability in our country, supply us under our allied agreements. Today we have air defense, airplanes, and helicopters. We have plenty of artillery and tanks. It's good that they didn't cut it and didn't take it to Germany for melting," the head of state said.
Small arms are also available in sufficient quantities - everything is stored in warehouses safe and properly maintained. The amount of weapon is enough to stop the enemy's armored vehicles, especially taking into account the peculiarities of the wooded and marshy terrain of Belarus, the President noted.
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