Lukashenka fears to be deposed

The dictator plans to increase arms sales and strengthen air defence.

Lukashenka announced his plans today at a meeting in Minsk to discuss the further development of the Belarusian Armed Forces, Interfax news agency reports.

“I'd like to discuss the military surplus in the Armed Forces that we don't actually need due to the ongoing army modernisation and the ways of disposing it,” the ruler said.

Lukashenka explained that he had enough buyers ready to purchase weapons.

“We haven't hidden it. If should sell it if we can,” he said. “I'd like you to treat the military surplus with due care. We must get rid of it until the weapons become too outdated to interest someone,” Lukashenka said.

More money for air defence

The ruler said Belarus would optimise expenses on the Armed Forces giving priority to the air forces and the air defence. He said he ordered to start implementation of arrangements with Russia in that sector.

“The Ministry of Defence has a task to start implementation of the arrangements with the Russian Federation and the arrangements with Vladimir Putin.

The ruler ordered to pay close attention to additional targeted financing of top-priority measures concerning the air forces and the air defence.

“Having analysed the recent conflicts, we came to a conclusion that the air defence and the air forces are priorities for us. As it is the main sector in the Armed Forces, we should give our foremost attention to it,” Lukashenka said.

Fear of losing power

The ruler again spoke about the international pressure allegedly put on “unwanted” states.

“As we already agreed during a discussion of the ways to improve the Armed Forces, we will hear the military to learn how they see the future of our army that must defend the country's sovereignty and independence,” Lukashenka said. He underlines that any state organises its Armed Forces depending on the international situation, especially in the region where it has to live and work. According to the ruler, the military and political situation, especially in the last few decades, shows serious changes in international relations: “The sense is that the high and mighty continue to put pressure on the foreign and domestic policy of the so called unwanted states. They use different tools, including armed struggle.”

Fortunately, it hasn't reached and will hardly reach Belarus, Lukashenka thinks. In his opinion, other means of influence are used against Belarus first of all by Western countries, NATO and the US.

The ruler underlines that the situation develops fast in the world and former allies become unwanted. “Sometimes it looks ridiculous: They overthrew everything they could in the Arab arc in the north of Africa and in the east. They are trying new methods of deposing now pretending to be peacekeepers, especially the European Union. You see it yourself.”