November 19, Pozirk. Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakoŭ is supervising a command staff exercise involving “state response system entities” on November 19–22, the ministry’s press office reported.
The training takes place in Minsk, regional and district centers and includes theoretical and practical elements.
Law enforcement officers are expected to demonstrate their ability to react promptly to possible complications, such as “manifestations of extremism and terrorism,” in the run-up to the January 21-26 presidential election.
Police may block traffic and use pyrotechnics during practical sessions, the press office said.
Addressing participants, Belarus’ top security official, Alaksandar Valfovič, said the exiled opposition is trying to create trouble. “Our forces and means are ready to perform any tasks and suppress any risks and threats, while acting competently and professionally for the sake of stability, security and peace in our land,” he stated.
The election campaign is tightly controlled by the government, with opposition to Alaksandar Łukašenka effectively eliminated. Human rights activists and pro-democracy forces abroad criticize the process as a façade to maintain power, citing relentless repression since the 2020 election.
