Belarus to buy weapons from Russia for $ 1 billion

Belarus plans to purchase Russian weapons for more than $ 1 billion, transfers BelTA. In particular, we are talking about the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. This was announced on Sunday by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

“Now the S-300 complexes have completely blocked the western direction of Belarus. But we have added a southern direction, ”the head of state said.

He noted that in the second part of the past negotiations in the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin, much attention was paid to defense and security issues. “The specifics were delayed – from the construction of facilities (including the Vostochny cosmodrome) to the issue of armaments. We discussed these problems, ”the President of Belarus noted.

According to him, negotiations are underway between Moscow and Minsk on the supply of S-400.

Lukashenko added that Putin told him about more advanced S-500 systems that can shoot down ballistic missiles. “A very effective complex. Including, I reminded him once again about the S-400, told him where we want to put these complexes. <...> We discussed this topic with Belarusian generals and Russians. They start to warm us up from the south. And what else will happen … We must prepare – 1200 km border with Ukraine. Therefore, we will have to close this perimeter too. And we were just talking about the fact that the S-400 will be appropriate for us, ”Lukashenka explained. His words leads TASS.

The head of Belarus noted that the Russian leadership has agreed on a whole list of weapons that will be delivered to Belarus by 2025. “These are about a dozen aircraft, some of which have already been received by us, these are several dozen Tor-M2 helicopters. Large volumes. It says that both we and the Russian Federation take this western direction very seriously, where we are in direct contact with NATO troops, ”Lukashenka stressed. – You see how they (NATO) behave. Therefore, one cannot relax, given the experience of 1941, when we calmed everything down, calmed everyone down – do not respond to provocations and so on – and then received a deafening blow and practically lost Belarus in a couple of months. History teaches a lot. “

According to Lukashenko, Belarus and Russia are not aiming “their missiles at neighboring states, our aircraft do not determine targets for striking on their territory, and so on.” “We are preparing to defend our land. The Belarusian-Russian union does not need extra territories. God bless us to cope with our own, ”the Belarusian leader concluded.

The statement of the President of Belarus sounded against the background of the joint strategic exercises of Russia and Belarus “West-2021”, which are taking place, in particular, at the Belarusian training ground “Obuz-Lesnovsky”. On the Belorussky mound, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko and Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov watched the course of combat training at this training ground.

Units of a separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan also take part in the Russian-Belarusian exercises.

The practical phase of the Zapad-2021 exercise takes place from 10 to 16 September at nine training grounds in Russia and five in Belarus. In total, up to 200 thousand personnel, about 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 760 units of military equipment, including 290 tanks, 240 guns, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, as well as up to 15 ships, take part in these maneuvers. transfers RIA Novosti.

Russian loans

Since 2020, the financial dependence of Belarus on Russia has increased significantly. Over the past year, the national debt of Belarus increased by 29%. This was influenced not only by the weakening of the Belarusian ruble amid protests and the political crisis, but also by over-planned borrowings. Thus, the authorities created a reserve to finance payments on the state debt in 2021.

According to the Belarusian Ministry of Finance, by the beginning of August 2021, the total debt of Belarus – both external and internal – reached 57.4 billion Belarusian rubles ($ 22.8 billion). By the end of this year, Belarus will have to pay off about $ 1 billion to creditors. informs Russian service of the BBC.

For the Russian Federation, Belarus is the largest state debtor. According to the World Bank, the country’s debt to Russia at the end of 2019 was $ 8.1 billion.However, Moscow continues to provide new loans to Minsk.

Soon after the presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020, Vladimir Putin promised to give Lukashenka another loan – for $ 1.5 billion. The first tranche passed in December, and the second tranche was reported by the Ministry of Finance on June 2. As explained by the head of the Russian Ministry of Finance Anton Siluanov, part of this loan – $ 1 billion, came from the Russian budget, the rest – from the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development. Most of the contributions to it come from Russia.

This week, the media reported that Belarus could borrow another $ 3 billion from the same Eurasian Fund.