Friedman: Lukashenka Change Head Of Military Intelligence For A Reason

What does the dictator fear?

As Charter97.org reported on 28 July, Lukashenka has made personnel changes in the military. In particular, the head of military intelligence has been replaced.

Major General Ruslan Kosygin, who headed the Main Intelligence Directorate and was Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, was dismissed on grounds of age with the right to wear military uniforms and insignia. Major General Uladzimir Kuprianyuk, who had been Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the Western Operational Command of the Armed Forces, was appointed in his place. Colonel Aliaksandr Lauronau was appointed in his place.

According to historian and political observer Alexander Fridman, Lukashenka replaced the head of military intelligence for a reason:

- There are a number of curious aspects to this appointment: 1) Kosygin was born in Yalta, studied in Chelyabinsk and was sent to Belarus to serve in the late 1980s. Kuprianyuk is from the Kamenets district of the Brest region.

2) Kosygin expressed his support for the "Russian world" and stressed that NATO was preparing to attack Belarus from Polish territory. Kuprianyuk, who was the commander of the Western Operational Command, is on the Western sanctions lists, but has not made such statements in public.

The reshuffle in the GRU leadership can hardly be a coincidence. In the current tense situation, Lukashenka has decided to hedge his bets and replace a 'Norseman' with a 'local'.