«Gazeta Wyborcza»: Lukashenka remains Russia’s loyal ally
8- 21.09.2009, 14:19
An influential Polish newspaper “Gazeta Wyborcza” writes about the large-scale military drills of Belarus and Russia.
As noted by «Gazeta Wyborcza», more than 15,000 soldiers including 6,000 Russian soldiers, are taking part in the military exercise which stages defence of Belarus from the NATO. This exercise called Zapad 2009 (West 2009) is the largest exercise in the history of Belarus.
The exercise is held in Obuz Lesnevski firing range in the West of Belarus. The exercise will use 63 aircraft, 40 helicopters, around 470 armored fighting vehicles, 228 tanks, 234 self-propelled and towed artillery units, mortars and multiple launch rocket systems. The official aim is to prepare the troops for maintenance of security of the “union” of Belarus and Russia. It is no secret the maneuvers are held to imitate a conflict with the NATO, “Gazeta Wyborcza” writes.
Belarus itself does not need to organize ant-terrorist exercises with the use of aircrafts and mortars, an independent expert Alyaksandr Alesin said in an interview to the newspaper. The drills will last till September 29. Dmitry Medvedev and Alyaksandr Lukashenka are to attend at the last stage of the military exersice.
Joint exercises of Russia and Belarus are held regularly, but it is the first time such a quantity of troops was transported to Belarus. The Belarusian opposition is aggrieved and concerned by that.
According to Alesin, the decision of the Kremlin to hold large-scale exercise during the crisis means that Moscow wants to show the whole world that it has a very strong army. And Belarus shows Moscow that despite of some pro-Western changes in its foreign policy, it is still Russia’s loyal ally.
Recently the relations between Belarus and Russia have deteriorated considerably. The Kremlin does not want to give Minsk preferential prices for energy resources. Moscow expects Lukashenka’s agreement for Russian business’ participation in privatization of Belarusian industry for that. However, the Belarusian dictator does not want to agree for that, as he knows that he would lose influence on economy then.
Political tensions have not influenced military cooperation still. “We remain Russia’s loyal allies,” the Belarusian leader goes on repeating at each possibility.
