Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) – The peaceful sky over our land is our most important achievement, Belarus’ Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov told reporters on 22 February, BelTA has learned.

“The Armed Forces are celebrating another birthday. We have achieved good results. Many military units across our country are undergoing readiness training as part of an integrated combat readiness check. We have a peaceful sky over our land, and this is the most important achievement. I am confident that we will further maintain peace in our country under the leadership of our President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus,” the Belarusian defense minister said.

Speaking at an official meeting in the Palace of the Republic to mark the Day of Fatherland Defenders and the Armed Forces of Belarus, the minister noted that this holiday has long been among the most respected ones in Belarus and connects the past and present. “It is a holiday of the Belarusian people who have preserved the continuity of the traditions of selfless service to the Fatherland and who have demonstrated, throughout the history, such bright qualities and values as valor, courage and patriotism. These qualities have been time-tested. It was thanks to them that our people achieved a victory in the most brutal war of the 20th century, bringing peace to our land,” Andrei Ravkov said.

Belarus takes pride in the feat of the Red Army who made a decisive contribution to the defeat of the Nazis and the liberation of the European nations. The contribution of the Belarusian nation to this victory was huge. “The postwar history of the Belarusian military district that plays a key role in supporting the strategic parity on our planet, is a bright example of the selfless service to the Fatherland. In 1979-1989, Belarusian soldiers joined the international effort to assist the people of Afghanistan and became a model of performing military duty. Amid the global geopolitical transformations in the 1990s, the Belarusian nation faced the need to decide its future: whether to be a sovereign and independent state or disappear from the world’s political map. It was the period when the moral qualities of the Fatherland defenders and all people of our country were tested again,” the minister said.

Security, peace and concord are maintained in Belarus. This is an indisputable fact of the contemporary history. “There is no doubt that this will remain so. We have everything necessary for it, including the strong power supported by people and the policy of the state aimed at protecting the national interests. This is our heroic history and strong patriotism of the Belarusian people. These are the country’s army able to defend the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and the constitutional system of our country,” Andrei Ravkov said.