Interior ministry’s forces drill ahead of elections

February 15, Pozirk. Interior ministry’s Minsk-based units participated in tactical and special exercises to guard polling stations during the upcoming elections.

The drill focused on improving skills and teamwork to prevent violations of public order in polling stations and adjacent areas, the interior ministry’s press office reported. It showed pictures and footage of drills involving special equipment to disperse the crowds, drones, and a training scenario with a burning car.

Police officers also practised arresting voters filming their ballots on cell phones in the voting booths.

Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakoŭ demonstrated the equipment and weapons to Natalla Kačanava, chair of the Council of the Republic, and Uładzimir Kucharaŭ, head of Minsk City Executive Committee.

“Pay attention to the behavior of voters and inform police officers at the slightest suspicion of possible illegal actions,” the ministry reported, citing Kubrakoŭ’s address to the heads of precinct election commissions.

Starting February 19, authorities will put about 10,000 internal ministry’s forces on high alert to guard polling stations across Belarus with reinforced service in the border areas, the official added.

“We are ready to respond to all possible provocations and are already doing so, identifying and bringing to justice those who try to provoke and insult our citizens,” Kubrakoŭ said.

Belarus will hold elections for the House of Representatives and local councils on February 25 with early voting starting on February 20.  

A total of 265 candidates were nominated for the National Assembly’s lower house election, with an average of 2.4 people running for one of the 110 House of Representatives seats. Not a single opposition candidate was allowed to run, while law enforcers and propaganda workers feature prominently among the potential MPs. The electoral campaign is taking place amid mass-scale reprisals and political landscape purge.

The country has not held a single free and fair election since 1996, by standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Last year, the government decided against inviting OSCE observers.

A few days ago, Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ, deputy interior minister and internal troops commander, announced that Russian Wagner Group instructors may assist Belarusian police maintain law and order during the elections.