Visit to government communications system facility run by State Security Committee
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Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko went to a government communications system facility run by the State Security Committee (KGB) on 9 August.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was informed about the implementation of government programs in the area of government communications, prospects of its development, and saw samples of communications hardware designed by Belarusian companies.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was told that as a result of government programs they had switched from old analog equipment to digital one. Imports have been substituted thanks to the development and commissioning of encryption equipment and technologies of Belarusian make. The government communications system is being upgraded bearing in mind security, quality, and reliability.
The head of state was also informed about the development of mobile government communications solutions and saw a lineup of communications products and encryption equipment, including secure mobile telephony products.
Field communications solutions now rely on modern products and approaches. Instead of outdated communications nodes (four vehicles crewed by 11 people) Belarusian specialists have come up with a modern communications node, which consists of two vehicles crewed by seven people. Belarusian companies have designed the next-generation communications node based on a minibus crewed by three people. It is supposed to be commissioned in 2020.
During the visit Aleksandr Lukashenko also saw a mobile complex designed to provide technical support for a counterterrorism operation. Among other things it can launch drones and detect and neutralize hostile ones. The complex is now going through government trials.
Summing up results of the visit, Aleksandr Lukashenko encouraged executives working in this sphere to continue improving the technologies and promised them support of the state. “It is the future. Certainly, we support development by all means. I am strongly convinced we shouldn’t be thrifty about it. But only after alternative agencies tell me you are indeed effective, you’ve exhausted all the resources, and you need help,” the head of state said.
The president underlined the importance of making quality and reliable products. “If you can’t, don’t do it. If it takes time to make it right, take your time. But don’t try to accomplish something you cannot. If you need help, you will always get it but don’t make bad products,” he said. “It is necessary to move on, to get stronger. In the future we may make up our minds and this unit will no longer be part of the KGB and will work independently.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also reminded about the instruction given to Head of the Operations and Analysis Center Andrei Pavlyuchenko during a recent meeting. “We should take a closer look at individual areas of surveillance: audio, video, and so on. We need it in perfect shape. We cannot allow abuse of office: we don’t want some official to get his hands on sensitive information and sell it or pass it on to someone else. This is what I want. Your job is to make it happen. Everything should be civilized and decent. People are the key. You should enable complete security and freedom of communication for people. Nobody has the right to interfere with it,” the Belarusian leader concluded.