Russia will supply Belarus with dozens of planes, helicopters, air defense systems (air defense) and, possibly, S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs). This was stated by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on September 1.
According to him, he gave the corresponding order on August 30. Deliveries will take place in the near future. He did not specify what funds will be used to purchase weapons.
"We really need them, I have already said this. In short, the most modern equipment. We will be retrofitted, "the BelTA news agency quotes him as saying.
As Lukashenko added, if Minsk notices a shortage of weapons at the Zapad-2021 military exercises, it will buy additional ones from Russia.
On August 25, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation Dmitry Shugaev noted that the issue of supplying Belarus with Russian S-400 air defense systems has not yet passed into the practical plane.According to him, Moscow is ready to promptly consider this issue if necessary.
Earlier in the day, Belarusian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Vladimir Semashko said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko will sign all the integration roadmaps during a meeting in Moscow on September 9.
On August 9, the President of Belarus said that Minsk is interested in receiving a Russian anti-aircraft missile system. As he noted, in case of danger of unleashing a new world war, the Russian army will be deployed in Belarus.
The S-400 Triumph is a Russian long-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. It is designed to defeat air attack, reconnaissance and any other air targets in conditions of intense fire and electronic countermeasures.