Defense policy of the Union State of Russia and Belarus
Belarus was and to this day remains the main and most consistent ally of Russia in the military sphere. If we talk about the Union State of Russia and Belarus, then one of the real manifestations of its existence is to conduct a common defense policy of the two countries. There is no analogue to the Russian-Belarusian military cooperation in the entire post-Soviet space ...
Since 1992, more than 30 international legal treaties in the field of military cooperation have been signed between Russia and Belarus. Currently, the implementation of the Military Doctrine of the Union State is taking place, which determines the main directions of interaction between the two countries in the defense sphere. Back in 1997, a joint board of the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus was created. On December 25, 2002, an agreement was signed on logistical support of the regional grouping of forces of the Armed Forces of Russia and Belarus. Currently, work is underway to create joint systems of logistic and technical support of troops, reconstruction of military facilities in Belarus, supply to Minsk of spare and component parts for repairing the automobile, aviation and armored vehicles, air defense systems.
If we talk about air defense, then Belarus was able to conduct combat missile launches at the Ashuluk training ground - due to the higher population density in Belarus, there is no opportunity to conduct such firing on its territory. Air defense units are joint combat duty.
When conducting joint command-staff military exercises, operational groups of the armed forces often take part in them.
The program of military scientific cooperation is quite extensive. Several hundred officers and cadets of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are trained on an ongoing basis in military schools of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Belarusian enterprises are involved in providing a number of parameters for the defense order of the Russian Federation.
The military doctrine of the Union State provides for joint protection against a military threat and repelling aggression in a common defense space. An important role is played by the fact that Belarus is not just a military ally of Russia - Russian military facilities are directly located on its territory, therefore any military attack on Belarus automatically means an attack on Russia.
One of the most important Russian military facilities is the Gantsevichi Radio Separate Hub (in 48 km from the city of Baranavichy, Brest Region). In 2002, the radar station in Gantsevichi was accepted into the Russian Space Forces, and in 2003, the radar alert duty began in the missile launch warning system. This radar is capable of tracking rocket launches at a distance of 5 000 km and monitoring objects in space orbit that are only a few millimeters in diameter. With its commissioning, the radar field in the west and north-west of Russia turned out to be completely closed. The radar station in Gantsevichi is one of the most important objects of the Missile Attack Warning System (SPRN), controls the North-West Africa, Europe, the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea. 2 000 servicemen and specialists (about 15% of civilian personnel are citizens of Belarus) work and are on duty at the station. Belarus and Russia signed an agreement to lease this radar to 2020, with the possibility of its extension.
Another significant object is the Vileyka zonal communications center of the Russian Navy (in 10 km from the Vileyka district center, Minsk region). The Antey radio station located there ensures constant communication with Russia's strategic nuclear submarines, including those that are submerged. This strategic naval communications center is occupied by 650 ha, it is served by more than 300 officers of the Russian Navy, and the external guard is provided by representatives of Belarus.
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At one time, the Red Banner Belarusian Military District (KBVO) was one of the strongest in the USSR. Today we can say that the Belarusian armed forces are smoothly reorganized KBVO. This is not a newly created army, but actually a full-fledged military district, which has become an organic part of an independent Belarus. Many officers - people from Russia, remained to serve after the 1991 year in the Belarusian army, many Belarusians - in Russia, therefore the military personnel of both countries were brought up in the same system of values and are the bearers of the knowledge of one military school.
History The creation of an independent Belarusian army began in 1992 - on March 20, a decree of the Belarusian government “On the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus” was adopted. At the same time, the Supreme Council of Belarus adopted the Law “On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus”. In total, there are about 50 military personnel in Belarus. There are two main types of troops in the army - the Ground Forces and the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces. There are also Special Operations Forces directly subordinate to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus. Belarus inherited from Belarus about 000 thousand tanks, 3,8 thousand armored combat vehicles, 1,5 thousand artillery systems, 390 aircraft, 79 attack helicopters. Over 300 anti-aircraft missile systems of various types guard the sky - S-300V, Buk, Wasp, Arrow and Tor. By the way, the experience of conducting recent wars shows that it is the presence of strong air defense that is often a decisive factor in deterring a potential aggressor.
A characteristic Belarusian feature is that in addition to the regular Armed Forces in Belarus, a system of territorial defense has been created and is in operation, which began to be created at the beginning of the 21st century. The sphere of responsibility of territorial defense attributed the protection and defense of objects, the performance of individual combat missions in conjunction with formations and military units of the Armed Forces while repelling possible aggression, fighting amphibious and sabotage forces and illegal armed groups, conducting armed struggle in the temporarily occupied enemy territory (partisan movement) , participation in strengthening the protection of border sections, the implementation of measures to ensure the maintenance of martial law and other defense activities It is important that territorial troops consist of people residing in a given region and are built along an administrative and territorial basis. Territorial defense in each region is headed by the governor (chairman of the regional executive committee).
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It is impossible not to take into account that the threat from NATO in the course of advancing the forces of this military bloc to the east not only did not disappear, but even increased. Not content with overwhelming superiority in manpower and conventional weapons, the United States and its allies continue to build up their military component on the borders of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
The European direction for the USA remains one of the priorities. The other day it was announced that Washington had decided to modernize the American tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) in Europe. The liberated forces and assets after the withdrawal of American troops from Germany will be transferred here. By 2015, the Pentagon plans to deploy troops in Poland and the Baltic States to 15 000 (according to the Eagle Guardian project, these countries are the main place for increasing American military power in Europe). Polish ports in Gdynia and Swinoujscie will be reconstructed to receive NATO ships, primarily landing ships and carrying personnel and military equipment. According to the same Eagle Guardian project, nine divisions (American, British and German) are planned to be deployed in Poland and the Baltic States. In Lithuania, an interdepartmental committee has been created to facilitate the deployment of the American contingent.
In Poland alone, seven airfields have been re-equipped, which are now capable of receiving all types of NATO aircraft. It is supposed to transfer the American F-16 fighters from the Aviano airbase in Italy to the Polish city of Lask. The air bases Emari in Estonia, Lielvarde in Latvia and Zokniai in Lithuania were reconstructed. At the Zoknyai airbase, constantly replacing each other, NATO fighter aircraft are already on permanent duty.
In Poland and the Baltic States, an accelerated logistics base is being created, military training centers are being built. Poland also announced its desire to create its own missile defense system. The Polish leadership is studying the issue of purchasing AGM-158 JASSM air-to-ground guided missiles in the US, which are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 370 km (the threat of the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation and Belarus).
Only in 2012, in Poland, were 13 (!) Conducted serious and large-scale exercises. More than 12 000 troops from the United States, Poland, Germany and Canada took part in the Anaconda maneuvers. These military games were held on the territory of the 5 voivodship at once. The maneuvers were directly directed against Belarus and Russia: according to legend, it was necessary to respond to the conflict caused by the actions of "reactionary regimes" and "energy expansion and territorial claims."
In the fall of 2013, in the Baltic Sea region, NATO plans to hold the largest Steadfast Jazz 2013 exercise in the past decade. The exercises will be held in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. According to legend, this will be a response to a possible attack from Russia and Belarus.
In these conditions, the Russian-Belarusian military cooperation becomes not just a certain element of the allied relations, but a vital necessity.
Considering the accumulated experience, the main focus in Moscow and Minsk is on strengthening defense against air attack. V.Putin and A.Lukashenko agreed on the supply by Russia to Belarus of four divisions of C-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as on the deployment of a fighter unit on duty in the country and the Russian Air Force base for their service. This was announced by 23 on April 2013 of the year during a visit to Belarus by Russian Defense Minister S.Shoigu. Within the framework of these agreements, already in 2013, it is planned to create an aviation military commander's office and put on duty the first unit of the combat fighters of the Russian Federation in Belarus. All the same Gantsevichi are considered as the place of their deployment.
Large-scale military exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus “Zapad-2013” are planned, during which in September 2013, in two stages, the interaction of troops will be tested at landfills in Belarus and at landfills in Russia. In addition, taking into account the increased activity of the NATO Navy in the Baltic Sea, joint exercises of combat swimmers will be held in the Gelendzhik region.
World history teaches that a peaceful blue sky overhead happens only when it is provided by reliable armed forces. For Belarus, where every third died during the Great Patriotic War, this is true more than for anyone else. The military-political alliance with Russia is the only guarantee of sovereignty and security of Belarus in modern conditions.
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