Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko concerned about military buildup in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia

MINSK, 4 October (BelTA) – The policy Belarus pursues has been getting in the way of the West for a quarter of a century already. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement at a government conference held on 4 October to discuss military security, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked: “The collective West has an account to settle with Belarus. For quite some time already: the policy we pursue has been getting in their way for a quarter of a century.”

This is why a 35,000-strong NATO force remains in Europe. Most of it – about 25,000 people – is located in the countries Belarus borders with, he said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko went on saying: “The intensity of recon flights near our borders remains high. Operational training and combat training events are actively organized, including by using the military training area Pabrade in Lithuania. The training area is only 15km away from the state border of Belarus. At the same time under the guise of support to Kiev a number of European countries are implementing plans to reequip their armies with modern weapons and hardware and reinforce them.”

Poland is most active in this regard, the head of state pointed out. A new mechanized division is being set up in the south of the Belarusian direction. Cadre brigades of territorial defense of Poland are being set up in the north and the south of the country.

The president said: “The geography of weapon purchases is growing larger. South Korea has been added to traditional USA and Germany. Instead of supporting their population amid a complicated social and economic situation the Poland government intends to increase its military spending.”

In his words, Lithuania and Latvia are trying to keep up in the militarist race. But they do not have resources of their own, this is why they ask NATO to increase presence in the countries by deploying brigade-level battle groups instead of battalion-level ones. “The construction of new military camps has begun in order to permanently house the troops, including in direct vicinity of our border – 20km away,” he said.

Apart from that, Lithuania has declared its intention to buy U.S. multiple-launch rocket systems HIMARS. “I don’t think I have to explain why they need them to the military,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

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