June 3, Pozirk. Pavieł Muraviejka, chief of the General Staff, has presented a bill to the Council of Republic that would allow Belarus to contract foreigners to serve in the Belarusian army and internal troops, the upper house’s press office reports.
The defense ministry drafted the bill, while Siarhiej Alejnik, former foreign minister and currently chairman of the Council of the Republic’s standing committee on international affairs and national security, provided an expert assessment.
The bill seeks to strengthen national security by creating a legal framework for foreign nationals to serve under contract in the Belarusian Armed Forces.
Under current legislation, contract military service is performed on a voluntary basis by individuals who commit to serving in the military under the terms of a contract in fulfilment of their duty to defend Belarus.
Latvia’s Intelligence and Security Service, in its annual report for 2025, estimated the Belarusian army’s strength at about 50,000 men, including 20,000 conscripted soldiers and 30,000 contract soldiers.
Alaksandar Łukašenka was quoted as saying in April that Belarus has a 70,000-strong army and could bring it to 500,000 through mobilization.
