Meeting to summarize results of comprehensive inspection of Armed Forces

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko convened a meeting to summarize the results of the comprehensive inspection of the Armed Forces on 30 March. Nearly 300 people took part in the meeting with the head of state, including commanders of the units that were involved in the inspection.

A large-scale inspection of the Armed Forces was conducted in Belarus from 16 January on the orders of the President. The key feature of the inspection was its organization. The head of state put military units on combat alert, bypassing the Defense Ministry and the General Staff. During the inspection, specific goals were set: to see an objective picture, the real state of the troops, and to assess the actions of military personnel. This is precisely why the measures were conducted with an element of surprise.

Aleksandr Lukashenko kept the progress of the inspection under personal control, regularly receiving reports from the state secretary of the Security Council. At the same time, the head of state announced plans to summarize the results of the inspection at a separate event. “There are shortcomings, but overall the army is combat-ready. As for the specifics, we will address them later,” the President told the media.

Addressing the meeting, Aleksandr Lukashenko called for an exceptionally candid discussion of the inspection results, keeping nothing back. “This was a planned inspection, but the first of such magnitude in the history of independent Belarus,” the President emphasized.

The head of state emphasized that only one task had been set: to see how units placed on full combat alert would operate under wartime conditions. “For me, these inspections during peacetime are a waste of money. We have no money to spare,” the Belarusian leader said.

“There can be no peacetime. We are preparing for war. That is precisely why we created the Armed Forces, why we maintain them, why the people contribute funds to support us. Those in this room, and beyond, must understand: we are absolutely against war. Especially our officers, our soldiers, the Armed Forces. Because we know what war is. We do not want war, but this is what an army is for. If anyone suddenly decides to speak to us and look at us through gun sights, we will respond. That is what we are preparing for,” the head of state said. “Unfortunately, the situation is such that without you, I cannot wage war. I want my subordinates to be ready to fight. If we are ready to fight, they will fear us, that is no small matter, and no one will come here. That is my goal. I believe you understand it well.”

The President expressed confidence that in a potential military conflict, elements such as the training of officers, the degree of proficiency of military personnel with weapons, physical fitness, and the condition of weapons and military equipment would be crucial. “This is the foundation of survival and victory in combat,” the head of state said.

“The responsibility for the country, for our peaceful, friendly-minded people rests most heavily on each of you,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.

The Belarusian leader reiterated that the comprehensive inspection of the Armed Forces was carried out with unprecedented scope and severity, and received fairly extensive media coverage. “Let me say straight away: it was covered in a way that perhaps most of you would have wanted. Because we would not want to show all the flaws in our army, especially to our potential rivals, or perhaps adversaries or enemies,” he added.

The head of state noted that among military personnel, the prevailing view was often that this comprehensive inspection would be no different from previous ones, that everything would go on as usual. “As usual, men, will not happen. I want to warn you why it will not happen with me. Because I have no intention of adapting to you, you will adapt to the Commander-in-Chief. That is, if you want to survive in a future war, God forbid. And if we continue as some among us do, not only will we not survive, but neither will our subordinates. I see this from modern conflicts and wars,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The President noted that inspection participants faced conditions as close as possible to real challenges: “More precisely: to war. No allowances for weather, time of day, or other factors that make combat tasks harder. You remember the weather,” he said.

The head of state pointed out that the control measures involved permanent readiness units and formations from the Western and Northwestern Operational Commands, special operations forces, the Air Force, and air defense troops.

“Next, by my order, we will be raising a separate unit, replenishing it if necessary, and truly learning how to fight,” he emphasized.

By order of the President, the state of weapons and equipment in formations and military units under central command was inspected by the State Secretariat of the Security Council together with the State Control Committee. “The State Control Committee must know what is happening with military property and assets. The State Control Committee primarily ensures oversight of property and state assets, what condition they are in,” the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state named another important task of the State Control Committee, including during the inspection of the Armed Forces’ readiness, as monitoring the expenditure of state funds and the state budget: “We are all on the budget. That is why the State Control Committee was involved.”

In addition, other mechanisms available to the Commander-in-Chief were utilized to obtain an objective assessment of the state of the Armed Forces. In this regard, the head of state stated that the army has not yet managed to completely eradicate false reporting. “In order to know where you are lying and where you are not, and where our inspection is going, all special units of the State Security Committee, the Operations and Analysis Center, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Investigative Committee – everyone - was mobilized. Especially the counterintelligence agencies of the KGB, which provide counterintelligence support. Everyone was mobilized. But I understand that they too wear uniforms and you have strong corporate solidarity. So I demanded from them: put the most primary information on my desk,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

As for the level of tasks, the pace at which they were set and executed, all of this was determined by the seriousness of the geopolitical situation, the escalating events and threats taking shape in close proximity to Belarusian borders. The President noted the fairly wide circle of leaders of other states whom he knows well and regularly communicates with. This, combined with many years of experience, allows him to form an opinion about the international situation and the events unfolding in the world.

“I am an informed person. You know that we are conducting negotiations with the Americans. And the experience of my life and work, including my service in the army, helps me draw appropriate conclusions from smiles, hugs, kisses, and so on with the Americans - all the way to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. I’m not even talking about China and Russia. I have long-standing relations with the leadership of these countries, and not only with the leadership,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.