Today, September 28th, President Aleksandr Lukashenko appointed Vladimir Bely Chief of the General Staff of Belarus’ Armed Forces and First Deputy Defence Minister, sb.by reports
The President immediately warned the new Chief of the General Staff, saying, “Starting today, or perhaps tomorrow, you will be closely monitored and possibly pressured by me, not only through the State Secretariat but also via the President Administration. That’s just how things are. No offense — you know my style. I need to stay informed about everything happening in the Armed Forces.”
Mr. Bely has been appointed to the position formerly held by Pavel Muraveiko, who will now take on the role of Deputy Head of the President Administration. Aleksandr Lukashenko encouraged Mr. Bely to learn from Mr. Muraveiko’s extensive experience.
The Head of State congratulated Mr. Bely on his new role and stressed, “This is a very important appointment. Honestly, I was torn between several candidates but ultimately felt this was the right choice.”
“An excellent choice,” Mr. Muraveiko agreed.
“From now on, you should be more critical than complimentary,” the President advised.
