Combat readiness of Air Force and air defense forces to be checked in Belarus
MINSK, March 9 – RIA Novosti. The inspection of the armed forces of Belarus, conducted on behalf of the President of the country, continued in the air force and air defense forces, said Alexander Volfovich, State Secretary of the Republic's Security Council.
"The combat readiness check of the armed forces continues by order of the President of the Republic of Belarus. The Commander-in-Chief of our country has identified the main task for the armed forces this year as maintaining the established level of combat readiness of troops, high training, and coordination of command and control bodies of troops in carrying out assigned tasks. This is very important for the type of armed forces that we will be checking, the air force and the air defense forces," Belta news agency quoted Volfovich as saying.
He explained that these troops are already carrying out a combat mission in peacetime to protect the airspace and borders of the country. "And if we take it more broadly, then both the Union State and the Western strategic direction within the framework of the CSTO. Therefore, the responsibility towards this type of armed forces is really very high. We must be sure that the Air Force and air defense forces are capable of countering modern challenges and threats," said Volfovich.
"The ability and readiness of this type of troops will be assessed to increase the composition of air defense forces and assets on duty, the ability to counter possible enemy air attacks in training conditions, as well as to work out a number of tasks for air support of troops. In the near future, the commander will give priority tasks, determine the time of the decision report. Most of the military units, which are primarily part of the immediate response force, will move to certain areas, where they will begin conditional combat duty. The issues of aviation relocation to various operational, alternate airfields and other specific issues will also be worked out," the State Secretary of the Security Council noted.
The Secretary of State noted that this type of armed forces would work out verification tasks under the influence of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of a simulated enemy, because "these facilities and military units would become primary targets for the enemy." Volfovich stressed that, as events in the Middle East show, without ensuring security in the air, without protecting the country from enemy air attacks, it is impossible to talk about any security and sustainable economic development.
In turn, the commander of the air force and air defense forces, Andrei Lukyanovich, said that aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces and radio engineering troops would be involved in this check. "Our branch of the armed forces is on daily combat duty for air defense. Therefore, I think there will be no problematic issues during this inspection," he said.
Two inspections of the armed forces are taking place in parallel in Belarus. A surprise inspection of the army was launched in Belarus on January 16 on behalf of the country's president. In addition, on January 26, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus announced an inspection of the combat readiness of military units and units of the armed forces.
On February 18, Secretary of State of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich reported to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the progress of the inspection of the armed forces in the country, which checked the combat readiness of most military units in almost all associations of the armed forces, and plans to inspect a number of other military units. The military technical support unit was the first to be checked, as well as mechanized, tank units, special operations forces, an engineering brigade stationed near Minsk, and a radiation, chemical, and biological protection brigade.
