Deputy interior minister highlights internal troops’ role in suppressing protests
Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ
March 18, Pozirk. Special units of Belarus’ internal troops received new grenade launchers, anti-tank guided missiles, flamethrowers, large-caliber machine guns and armored personnel carriers, Deputy Interior Minister Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ has told the state-run media.
“We are refining our organizational and staffing structure with the regional military and political situation in mind,” he said, adding that protests in Georgia, Serbia and Iran demonstrated that “professional, well-armed and mobile special units are most effective in countering provocations and neutralizing the leaders of mass unrest.”
Special units account for 35 percent of all internal troops’ personnel, said Karpiankoŭ, who oversees the forces. Currently, 13 such units are in operation and “successfully carry out tasks related to criminal policing, counterterrorism and counterextremism, while providing security in small towns and border settlements,” the official said.
Alaksandar Łukašenka employed internal troops to suppress peaceful protests against election fraud in 2020. Karpiankoŭ was promoted in November 2020 to deputy interior minister and commander of the internal troops after overseeing brutal attacks on protesters. The European Union and other democratic countries sanctioned him over human rights abuses.
Internal troops, riot police hold a search and destroy drill outside Minsk
March 14, Pozirk. Internal troops and riot police officers held a drill at the number 3310 police brigade base in Akolica, Minsk region, to improve their skills in conducting search and destroy operations, reported the Internal Troops. Alaksandar Łukašenka employed …
