February 10, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has directed officials at today’s meeting in Minsk to launch own production of artillery shells and other ammunition in Belarus, his press office reports.
Belarus is building domestic ammunition facilities to meet high demand for artillery shells, he said, inquiring about the progress. “Next year, or even by the end of this year, we must have our own ammunition,” he stressed.
“There is no secret here. I am not hiding anything. You can see what is happening in Western Europe—Europe’s largest companies are producing more and more ammunition,” the Belarusian ruler said, citing an “alarming” military build-up near Belarus’ western borders, particularly by Poland.
Prime Minister Alaksandar Turčyn, Security Council chief Alaksandar Valfovič, Łukašenka’s chief of staff Dźmitryj Krutoj, Defense Minister Viktar Chrenin, Finance Minister Uładzisłaŭ Tatarynovič and Dźmitryj Pantus, chairman of the Belarusian State Defense Industry Committee, attended the meeting.
Several Belarusian state-owned companies are involved in the mass production of projectiles for the Russian army, the BelPol opposition group said in an investigation released last year. A significant part of the ammunition was reportedly intended for use by Grad multiple rocket launchers, with which the Russian army shells Ukraine.
