October 30, Pozirk. A recent report by the opposition group BelPol highlights growing signs of accelerated militarization in Belarus’s economy, driven by Minsk’s efforts to integrate the country’s industrial potential into Russia’s defense complex.
Noting political ties between Minsk and Moscow, the analysis also linked the development to deliberate policies of Alaksandar Łukašenka and his officials.
The report contains examples of extensive and systematic cooperation between Belarusian companies and the Russian military-industrial complex in all areas.
The Minsk-based Intehrał microchip factory and Płanar microelectronics factory are involved in the production of microchips for military needs, BelPol said. Other companies, such as Pielenh or Ruchsiervamator, reportedly produce optical sights for tanks. Belarusian enterprises also supply Russia with chassis for the Iskander missiles and S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft systems, rocket shells, unmanned aerial vehicles and other military goods.
“Such cooperation effectively makes Belarus the ‘industrial backbone’ of Russia’s military machine, and the list of Belarusian enterprises involved appears almost endless,” BelPol noted.
SVT, a subsidiary of Amkador, a leading Belarusian manufacturer of construction and logging equipment, is involved in the production of weapons such as the Svisloch attack UAV and the Vartavy, an artillery radar and fire control system, the group said earlier.
SVT’s involvement in defense projects has “gone much deeper,” as the company repaired and serviced devices that monitor fuel consumption in military equipment and provided maintenance for Avangard missile systems, it noted.
Close production and technological ties have made the Belarusian economy dependent on military orders from the Kremlin, while Łukašenka continues to promote deeper integration into Russia’s defense production system, BelPol stressed.
In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine in which the Belarusian authorities supported the Kremlin, allowing Russian troops to attack Ukraine from Belarus on multiple occasions and supplying arms to Moscow.
