Report on performance, development prospects of Belarus’ military-industrial complex

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Nazarov and Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus to discuss the performance and development prospects of the Belarusian military-industrial complex on 8 June.

“Today we need to discuss a number of pending issues (probably, still in a private manner, although we do not have anything to conceal here). First of all, I want to speak about the role of the military-industrial complex for Belarus. Because of the existing circumstances (they have never been easy in our country, and you know it) the provision of modern weapons to our Armed Forces (not only the army) is a very important issue. The weapons that our defense and law enforcement agencies need,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

The head of state remarked that the military-industrial complex makes a significant contribution to the Belarusian economy. According to the President, the defense sector unites cutting-edge production facilities which can be compared only to space and nuclear technologies. “It is impossible to produce modern weapons without advanced technologies,” he added.

Speaking about sanction threats from the west, Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that restrictive measures will not have an impact on the operation of the military-industrial complex. “Our military-industrial complex does not have such ramified ties with those who threaten us with sanctions. We do not have close and mutually dependent contacts with America, the European Union. It is clear that we maintain good relations with our partners in the production of weapons,” the head of state explained. “However, I would like you to outline the situation.”

The President also asked about the financial and economic performance of the defense industry. “What do we expect? What can you say about the performance in the first six months? What weapons will we produce? What are the prime cost and expenses? What about the export of weapons?” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered.

The head of state outlined the development of domestic production of small arms as an important topic. "We are not going to war with anyone," he said. “We must be able to inflict unacceptable damage on an enemy and defend ourselves and our families. Without our own production of small arms... If, God forbid, some conflict or war break out, every family, territorial bodies should be armed with the whole range of small arms. Then the enemy, the adversary will understand that it is better to steer clear of us,” the President said.

"We have to produce the minimum necessary amount of weapons at home. Because anything can happen and we should not pin our hopes on some foreign uncle to supply us with weapons. We should have our own," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The President believes that Russia's experience in small arms production can prove useful. "Russia, our close friend, with which we are developing and producing weapons, is not against that we produce weapons here using their technologies," the Belarusian leader said.

He also asked about the progress in the development of other promising types of weapons, in particular, rockets for the Polonaise multiple rocket launcher system. Another topic on the agenda was the participation of Belarusian military-industrial enterprises in the 10th military hardware expo MILEX-2021 which will take place in Minsk at the end of June.

Dmitry Pantus spoke about special conditions, in which the military-industrial complex and the defense sector of the economy were working. “Collective West is constantly whipping up tension around Belarus. But it is worth saying that despite four enterprises of the State Authority for Military Industry are officially included in the package of sanctions, historically all enterprises of the defense sector of the economy have always been under pressure,” he said.

“It is natural. No one will agree if a county like Belarus starts to arm itself and even to even to produce its own weapons,” the President stressed.

“They are often openly envious of the achievements of the military-industrial complex of the Republic of Belarus,” the chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry said.