Belarusians To Be Sent To Russian Federation’s Flash Points

Dictator Lukashenka has signed a corresponding decree.

The national legal portal of Belarus has published the text of Lukashenka’s decree dated December 6, in which he approved the draft agreement with the Russian Federation on participation of the special designation forces of Belarus in the “counter-terrorism operations” at the territories of Belarus and the Russian Federation.

According to the Decree, which comes into force at the moment of publication, the KGB of Belarus is now authorized to conduct negotiations with the Russian side about the draft agreement, make amendments thereof and even sign the final document.

Still, what will the signing of another agreement with Russia mean to the Belarusian citizens? Does it mean Belarusians will be sent to the flash-points in the Russian Federation to fight?

Journalists of Radio Liberty have addressed to military expert Aliaksandr Alesin for a comment:

- Yes, this agreement will give an opportunity to send the Belarusian units of the special designation forces for participation in the counter-terrorist operations at the territory of the Russian Federation, in case of necessity. Also, the corresponding units from Russia can be used in Belarus. However, such opportunity partially exists in the framework of the agreement on the CSTO. Even more countries participate thereof, not just Russia and Belarus, but also some former Soviet republics of the Central Asia. As part of the agreement on the CSTO, 2 brigades can be deployed from Belarus - one of the army and one of the internal troops.

Apparently, they decided it was not enough. That is why the prepared agreement will also allow the special forces, our KGB and their FSB, to coordinate more closely in the issues of “struggle against terrorism”. This means they presume that the citizens of our countries might become objects of these “counter-terrorist operations”, as they decided to execute the legal side of this interaction more precisely. I don’t think our special services would fall under control of the Russians, but I consider the cooperation would become tighter, and the special services would become more dependent on each other.

- What about the Constitution of Belarus, which prohibits sending our military men for taking part in the combat actions at the other countries’ territories?

- They found the “way out”. It was decided that the Constitution only prohibits conscript soldiers to go to war to other countries, it does not affect the contract soldiers. Our special designation forces are mostly formed of the contract soldiers, so they can be sent also to the flash-points under the order. It never happened before, but legally it remains possible. The agreement they are preparing now will refine this opportunity.