Raman Yakauleuski: Authorities make preparations to sell military industry to Russia

Russia's military industrial sector will inevitably buy Belarusian plants, the fact that makes the Belarusian ruler nervous.

Political observer Raman Yakauleuski spoke to charter97.org about Lukashenka's demands on new armaments supplies and his remark about a “common army”.

“Relations between Minsk and Moscow have been overclouded by disputes of economic entities until recently. For example, the countries argued over gas. The motivation for these conflicts was absence of equality of the parties. Belarus insisted on the relations based on equal rights. Now we see the same in the more developed sector of the bilateral relations – the military one.

Lukashenka's demand raises many questions. In my view, it may be caused by the fact that the Belarusian defence industry, which is coordinated by the State Military Industrial Committee, prepares for radical transformation and buying of main enterprises by Russia. As for drones, the Belarusian defence industry can produce a couple more, but it is unable to put them into serial production. Investments are needed, but no one wants to make them. Russia will not invest money in rivals. It will try to buy them. It concerns Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, Peleng company and other enterprises.

Lukashenka's open demands show how nervous he is about the inevitable purchasing of Belarusian plants by the Russian military industrial sector,” the political observer said.

Raman Yakauleuski says it may explain the possible reorganisation of the State Military Industrial Committee. According to him, this decision may be taken in the nearest time.

“The State Military Industrial Committee won't be needed any more. The Committee's board is to have a meeting on June 7 to discuss its reorganisation among other matters. The Committee may lose its ministerial status and become a department of the Ministry of Defence or the Ministry of Industry. The Committee controls about 20 enterprises and supervises about 200 firms. Its powers will be curbed in case of the reorganisation,” Raman Yakauleuski said.

The political observer remarks that Belarus is looking for new markets to sell armaments.

“Raman Halavachanka, a former first deputy head of the committee, has recently returned to diplomatic work. He was appointed ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, the country that representatives of Belarusian arms-producing companies visited several times. We can say the same about the Belarusian ambassador to Venezuela. The acting head of the committee met with a representative of India in Minsk. They possibly discussed sales of Belarusian arms,” he said.

The Belarusian dictator again spoke today about a common army of Belarus and Russia and demanded Moscow to supply new armaments.