Opinion: Belarus’ major task is to prevent it from being drawn into armed conflict in Eastern Europe
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has approved decisions on the protection of the state border in 2024, and they are especially relevant in our modern times when growing militaristic sentiments and predatory appetites are observed among Belarus’ western neighbours. The latter are increasing their military budgets and have deployed a large grouping of NATO troops and military equipment on the border. Drills continue, while sabotage and reconnaissance groups are being trained to penetrate into Belarus. In his talk with Alfa Radio, Aleksei Avdonin, an expert at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, explained the importance of protecting the state border.
The expert noted that the collective West does not shy away from the idea of an escalation of the conflict in Eastern Europe. Europe is still seen as a theatre of rivalry for the United States and the United Kingdom, so the military component acts as a tool for them for solving economic, financial and political problems.
"The West and NATO have been intensively creating military infrastructure in Poland, the Baltic States, and Ukraine over the past decade – including airfields, warehouses, access roads, railways, highways, and unloading stations. All this is evidence that NATO was preparing to conduct offensive actions in the theatre of operations of Eastern Europe. We understand perfectly well that the situation developing on the southern and western borders is not something spontaneous,” Mr. Avdonin explained.
The expert stated that a halo of threats – allegedly coming from Russia and Belarus – is being created in Europe, “There are opinions that we allegedly quarrelled so much with the countries of the West and Europe that they build fences on our borders and place military hardware because we are belligerent, as they assert. Actually, based on the rhetoric of the Polish media and NATO propaganda, threats are coming from Russia and Belarus, and – under this guise – they are driving weapons and military equipment to our borders. Moreover, the largest exercises are being launched here since the Cold War. All this is not a regime of order and tranquillity.”
Mr. Avdonin explained that President Aleksandr Lukashenko had approved the decision to protect the state border with the developing situation in view. “It is also worth noting that the Head of State held the meeting not in private, but in public, involving the media. That was done to explain Belarusian citizens what sort of situation is observed on the country’s borders and what measures the President, the power bloc, and the political leadership of the country are taking to prevent Belarus from being drawn into an armed conflict in Eastern Europe,” he said.
The expert added that it would be an excellent scenario for the West if Belarus succumbed to some provocations on the border from the beginning of 2020, “We remember those events, as well as the flights of helicopters and UAVs into the territory of Belarus. We remember the provocations on their part, i.e. soldiers came out with weapons in their hands pointed in our direction. That was a reality. It is necessary to understand that, in 2024, when the West has actually created the infrastructure and is moving to such planned testing of the theatre of military operations in the form of exercises, we all need to be ready to preserve peace and order on our territory and be ready to respond to the provocation of the West.”
Mr. Avdonin added that this year will be difficult from a geopolitical point of view, “Our President said that the Belarusian society is walking on thin ice, so our task is to prevent Belarus from being drawn into an armed conflict. This is possible only if our border service, law enforcement agencies, defence, and government agencies are united and ready. Our opponents should realise what a retaliatory strike is possible if they carry out any aggressive actions against Belarus.”
