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Belarusian servicemen must always remain on edge. This is the effect of the readiness inspection initiated by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Belarus’s Defence Minister Viktar Khrenin said.
“The effect is that we must always be on edge. A serviceman must be morally and physically ready. And, of course, professionally trained,” Khrenin said, as quoted by BelTA.
He stressed that at the beginning of an armed conflict the calculation is based on surprise.
“It must not happen that we are caught off guard, become confused, and scatter. We must respond immediately,” he added.
On Thursday, Lukashenka decided to personally take part in the readiness inspection being conducted on his orders. Unit commanders are receiving inspection tasks bypassing the Defence Ministry and the General Staff.
Lukashenka arrived at the 227th combined-arms training ground in the Barysau district. His press service noted that Khrenin was informed of the event only at 7 a.m.
“The army is capable of fighting. All the marches were completed, and no one was lost on the march,” State Secretary of the Security Council Alyaksandr Valfovich reported.
Lukashenka was shown the battalion command-and-observation post in the concentration area. He spoke with servicemen, noting that their living conditions were better than in his time: “You have a resort here.” He also noted that the inspection applied to both the defence minister and the state secretary of the Security Council.
“I am not saying this will happen tomorrow. But I also cannot say that it will not happen at all,” Lukashenka said, referring to any possible developments.
“Learn, learn. Just in case, learn. If you know how to do everything, you will live,” he told the servicemen.
Lukashenka was also taken to a firing range, where he was shown firing from grenade launchers and assault rifles. Firing from armoured personnel carriers had been planned, but fog adjusted the plans.
“Well, there is not much joy, let’s be frank. They are shooting, they see the targets. Let’s say it’s so-so. They are nervous, of course — the President is standing behind them. I understand there is a certain tension. So-so — they hit some, they missed some,” Lukashenka assessed the results.
“Let them keep working. We will see how to make your life more difficult. We will make it more difficult for you now, so don’t relax. And from the battalion commanders, of course, we will skin them properly, like men,” Lukashenka added, addressing Khrenin.