Alyaksandr Lukashenka believes that the surprise combat readiness inspection ordered by him was covered by the media in a way that was even complimentary to the army. However, he said it showed that there are shortcomings in the Armed Forces.
“This inspection was conducted, as I have already said, on a large scale and, as never before, very harshly. It was covered in the media. I will say straight away that it was covered in the way that perhaps most of you would like. Because all the bad things that exist in our army — and there are plenty of them — we would not want to show, first of all, to our potential opponents, perhaps even enemies. We did not want to”, he said.
According to him, he does not intend to adapt himself to the military.
“That is why today we will speak frankly. And I urge you to do so and insist on it. And all those conversations — and I know very well about them, I will say more about this later — that, you know, they will report to the president, they will not report this, they will report what is needed, what does it matter, we will run around a bit, jump around a bit, and everything will be fine as always. It will not be as always, gentlemen. It will not. And I want to warn you why it will not be with me. Because I do not intend to adapt to you. You will adapt to the commander-in-chief if you want to survive in a future war, God forbid there is one.
And if we continue like some of us are doing now, not only will we not survive, but neither will our subordinates. I can see this from modern combat clashes and wars. The purpose of this inspection was not to expose you. That was a tertiary task. I am a military man, I know very well what is happening in the army, how it was then and how it is now, and all our failings, where they came from and why they occur. I know all of this”, he said.
Lukashenka stressed that it was important for him to check whether the military would be capable of surviving in a war.
“It was important for me to check: are you capable of surviving in this war? Unfortunately, the situation is such that without respect we will not be able to fight. And I want my subordinates to be ready to fight. And if we are ready to fight, they will fear us. That is important. They will fear us and no one will come here. That is my goal. I think you understand it well”, he concluded.
He said that the condition of equipment and weapons had been checked by the State Secretariat of the Security Council and the State Control Committee.
“The State Control Committee must know what is happening with military property and equipment. The State Control Committee primarily ensures oversight of property and state assets, and their condition”, he said.
According to him, the use of state funds was also checked.
“We are all funded from the budget. That is why the State Control Committee was involved”, he explained.
Lukashenka believes that the inspection showed that dishonesty has not yet been fully eradicated in the army.
“In order to know where you are lying and where you are not, and what is happening during our inspection, all the special units of the KGB, the Operational and Analytical Centre, the prosecutor’s office, the Investigative Committee — everyone — were mobilised. Especially the KGB counterintelligence bodies that provide counterintelligence support. Everyone was mobilised. But I understand that they also wear shoulder boards and you have strong corporate solidarity. That is why I demanded from them: I want the most primary information on my desk”, he said.
