Belarusian companies produce projectiles for Russian army – report
January 20, Pozirk. Several Belarusian state-owned companies are involved in the mass production of projectiles for the Russian army, the BelPol association of former security officers said in an investigation on YouTube yesterday.
The plants involved in the production of 122 mm and 152 mm munitions are the Žhodzina-based BiełAZ heavy-duty dump truck factory (Biełaruski Aŭtamabilny Zavod) and BAZcjub steel tube plant, the Žłobin-based Belarusian Steel Works (Biełaruski Mietałurhičny Zavod), the Barysaŭ-based automobile and tractor equipment plant (Barysaŭski Zavod Aŭtatraktarnaha Elektraabstalavańnia), the Orša-based Lehmaš plant manufacturing a range of steel and cast iron products and the Minsk-based Precision Electronic and Mechanical Equipment Plant (Zavod Dakładnaj Elektramiechaniki), which manufactures dual products and repairs armaments.
According to BelPol, the network also includes Gomselmash (Homsielmaš), Gomelskiy Zavod Litya i Normaley (Homielski Zavod Lićcia i Narmalej), Minskiy Avtomobilnyy Zavod (Minski Aŭtamabilny Zavod), Minskiy Traktornyy Zavod (Minski Traktarny Zavod), Minskiy Podshipnikovyy Zavod (Minski Padšypnikavy Zavod), Vavilov MMZ (Vaviłaŭ MMZ), Orshanskiy Instrumentalnyy Zavod (Aršanski Instrumientalny Zavod), Molodechnenskiy Zavod Poroshkovoy Metallurgii (Maładziečanski Zavod Paraškovaj Mietałurhii), Integral (Intehrał), Planar (Płanar), Amkodor (Amkador), Termoplast (Termapłast), the Gorizont group (Haryzont group) and the Diaproyektor plant (Dyjaprajektar plant).
A significant part of the projectiles is intended for use by Grad multiple rocket launchers, with which the Russian army shells Ukraine, BelPol said.
It recalled that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktar Chrenin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu (now the secretary of the Russian Security Council) signed a security deal in December 2022. BelPol claimed that the document “implies Belarus’ assistance to Russia in destroying Ukraine.”
It pointed out that the signing was attended by Piotr Parchomčyk, the Belarusian deputy prime minister, and Dźmitryj Pantus, chair of the State Authority for Military Industry.
Implementing the agreement, Parchomčyk supposedly met with Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov on January 16, 2023, to discuss deliveries.
“From that time Pantus starts bombarding the director of the Russian joint-stock company Tekhnodinamika with requests to supply Belarus with components for 122 mm and 152 mm munitions,” BelPol said.
However, Russia was unable to supply the components because it did not have enough for the “slaughter in Ukraine,” it added, so it was decided to localize the production in Belarus.
The Belarusians undertook to produce 10,000 shells of each caliber per month.
In March 2023, a contract was signed between Zavod Tochnoy Elektromekhaniki and the Russian NPO Splav for the supply of 184,269 rocket parts in the framework of the Russian defense procurement.
According to the contract, Belarus started supplying thousands of sets for 122 mm rocket projectiles from September 2023. “Every month 1,000 ready assembled shells return to Belarus. However, 12,000 sets of parts remain in Russia every month and are turned into shells for Russian Grads,” the film said.
Belorusskiy Metallurgicheskiy Zavod, BAZtyub, Legmash and Zavod Tochnoy Elektromekhaniki are involved in this production chain.
BelPol reported that Belarus faced difficulties in mastering technological processes, jeopardizing the delivery plan, but Belorusskiy Avtomobilnyy Zavod stepped in to help solve the problems. Legmash changed its profile due to the war, increasing its workforce and working for the Russian army in alliance with Belorusskiy Metallurgicheskiy Zavod.
Despite aiming to produce 240,000 Grad rocket parts annually, Legmash faced a high defect rate, which reached 70 percent by the end of 2023. Investigations were conducted to address the defects, leading to the transfer of Legmash under the Belarusian Defense Industry Committee and quality control by the Ministry of Industry.
BelPol revealed further plans of the Belarusian industrial complex to work for the Russian defense ministry.
In particular, it reported that Molodechnenskiy Zavod Poroshkovoy Metallurgii will organize the production of fuses for 122 mm rockets. It is planned to increase the annual production from 40,000 to 120,000 units in 2025–2027. The authorities labeled the fuses as “socially important products,” so the project will be fully financed from the state budget.
Overall, Belarus supplied Russia with about 155,000 projectiles in 2023–2024. Now it is going to send there some 4.5 million parts and sets for rockets.
“Death trade is profitable for Łukašenka’s regime,” the investigators concluded.
