A. Lukashenko: Belarus will scrupulously fulfill its functions for the protection of the Union State

November 22, Minsk /BELTA/. Russia must help Belarus ensure the security and defense capability of the Union State. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated this on November 22, while receiving a report on the Plan for the Use of the Regional Group of Forces (Troops) of Belarus and Russia, BELTA was informed by the press service of the Belarusian leader. Alexander Lukashenko recalled that 10 years ago, at the Supreme State Council of the Union State, a decision was made to create a joint Russian-Belarusian group of forces, whose zone of responsibility in the Union State and the CSTO is to ensure security in the western direction. As the head of state noted, over the years, certain changes have occurred, "including in the forces that are positioned against the Belarusian-Russian group of forces." "Naturally, time passes, something changes, somewhere drastically, somewhere less so. Therefore, we need to consider the use of the RGF (f) today," he said. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that this issue is within the competence of the Supreme State Council of the Union State. "Therefore, the first thing I want to say is: we, of course, will sacredly fulfill our functions of defense, I considered, and still consider, of our common Fatherland," he said. "There is no foreign Belarus for us - this is our country where we live, where our children will live, and there is no foreign Russia. We have always been and will be together with Russia, no matter what cataclysms occur." "We, of course, will perform our functions, but we can only perform them with the support of Russia, at least with armaments," the Belarusian leader noted. "This is not an approach when we are sometimes offered to buy weapons at our own expense, and even at a market price, as they know how to say. Naturally, Russia is interested here, in this direction, in the Belarusian army being in order." "Therefore, help is needed. I am saying this publicly, and I am not afraid of it, I can repeat it anywhere," the President stressed. Alexander Lukashenko also noted that the most serious decision on the use of the RGF (f) should be made at the level of the SSC. "I will not sign any documents in a working capacity. There is the SSC, let it convene - we will consider this plan. And today you must report to me. I know that my Russian colleague has considered this plan, he agreed with it. Now we will consider it, and at the next meeting of the SSC we will approve it. This will be correct. We have nothing to hide here, we are open to the world. I think Russia also does not intend to hide anything," said the President of Belarus. In addition, he emphasized that Belarus makes a huge contribution to peace and security, ensuring not only its own security, "but also that of fraternal Russia, and not only Russia." "And this is a beneficial issue for us, if you like, an image issue. That's another reason why we are not going to hide anything," Alexander Lukashenko noted. "Otherwise, they constantly consider us freeloaders. Society should know that we are not freeloaders, but are performing the most important function of defense, including of the Russian state. That is the truth." According to the President of Belarus, ensuring national security is one of the most important functions of the Belarusian state, which is not an exception in this regard. "Within the framework of this activity, we are taking effective measures to protect the balanced interests of the individual, society, and the state, as our concept provides for," he noted. "And, naturally, we have paid and will continue to pay the most serious attention to ensuring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country." The head of state noted with regret that the world is currently unstable, and force remains one of the main means of resolving contradictions. "Therefore, we must keep our powder dry," he stressed. In addition, Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus is resolving issues of ensuring military security within the framework of an architecture that best meets the country's interests, strengthening its military security, including jointly with Russia. As reported to journalists by the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Leonid Maltsev, the President of Belarus generally approved the Plan for the Use of the Regional Group of Forces (Troops) of Belarus and Russia. "But the President, as the chairman of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, has decided to approve this plan, as it is a very important document, at the SSC meeting," he noted. The relevant issue will be included in the agenda for the SSC meeting of the Union State. The issue of what specific participation Russia should have in ensuring the RGF (f) will also be discussed. "The understanding that we have approved the plan and that's all is incorrect. After all, the group needs to be provided with armaments, equipment, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, and so on," said Leonid Maltsev. "Therefore, the discussion was about how to ensure fair, reasonable, comprehensive provision of the group. No one intends to shift something off themselves or burden someone else."