Cooperation between Russia and Belarus is fundamental to our defense interests, as well as the presence of Russian military facilities in this post-Soviet republic, the military expert believes, retired colonel Viktor Litovkin.
Russia and Belarus need to decide the fate of military facilities
The Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported, that the work on resolving issues on the further use of two Russian military facilities in the territory of this country is scheduled for 2020 year, when negotiations will be held on this topic.
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergey Shoigu recently described Belarus, as a reliable military ally, and noted, that the interaction of the military departments of the two countries, more relevant than ever in a difficult military-political situation.
“Russia has two facilities in Belarus - it is the Volga missile attack warning station in Gantsevichi of the Brest region and the long-range communications point of the Russian Navy in the city of Vileyko, Minsk region”, – states Litovkin.
Despite the lack of access to the sea by Belarus, this center on extra-long waves provides communication between the General Staff of the Russian Navy and nuclear submarines, who are on combat duty in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. This 43rd communications center of the Russian Navy is working with 1965 year and 1995 year was on 25 years transferred to Russia for free use.
Then President Alexander Lukashenko, acting today, came to power in Minsk and the parties were able to quickly resolve this issue in the field of positive sentiment., which by the end of the nineties led to the creation of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
"The fact, that Belarus then refused to charge us for these two objects, and they are there for free. Of course, this does not apply to utility bills and the payment of the standard cost of land rent ”, – summarizes Litovkin.
According to a similar pattern, as the 43rd communications center in Belarus, Volga station works, and the very raising of this issue is connected with, what in 2020 expire year, the bilateral agreement concluded in the nineties and in exchange for it it is necessary to sign a new.
Preservation of Russian objects needed in Belarus
“Do we need the Volga station? Actually, her need is relative, since the station "Voronezh-DM" has been deployed in Kaliningrad, Russia. This is a more modern and cheaper to operate station., which sees further on 6 thousand kilometers and almost covers the whole sector, in the direction of which the Volga station is operating today, – concludes Litovkin.
Actually, the main question is the opening of a full-fledged military base in Russia in Belarus, interest in which was also traced in the words of the head of the military department of Army General Shoigu, but so far this process has been frozen by the Belarusian side.
“As for the Volga station, then this is one of the first objects of a missile attack warning. Respectively, this station needs modernization and needs to be invested in it, and for this a development program is needed ”, – states Litovkin.
As noted by the expert, Russia is much more important station in Vileyka, as this facility maintains contact with Russian submarines, which are in the open sea, a, generally, the need for these facilities will determine the General Staff of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Naturally, important, what conditions will Belarus put forward - will it just be a prolongation of the existing agreement or will Minsk ask for some kind of payment. After all, if the amount is large, then Russia may refuse, although Belarus in terms of prestige, this option will be disadvantageous, Yes, and it can negatively affect the solution of many problems important for Minsk.
“The Government of Belarus likes to speculate with these stations, showing, that Minsk is an outpost of Moscow, but, in the same time, forgets, what exactly Russia is the main guarantor of security of this country ", – summarizes Litovkin.
Russia and Belarus are parties to the Union State Treaty, therefore Moscow will protect Minsk from any attacks, which are only possible, including from NATO. So that, in the interests of Minsk find an acceptable compromise here Moscow.
“In addition to bilateral agreements with Russia, Belarus is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, moreover, all members of this organization receive military equipment at factory prices at Russian enterprises. Belarusian officers study at Russian military universities for free, let the Academy of the Ground Forces of Belarus also have several students from Russia ”, – concludes Litovkin.
Belarus uses the Russian landfill, where he conducts firing and exercises - for example, MLP, but on Russian military equipment, which Minsk uses for free, therefore logical, if the contract on Russian facilities is extended on old terms.
If we talk about a full-fledged military base, then this is a separate issue, but here the persistence of the Belarusian side raises big questions, given the context of military-political relations, which connects us today.
"It simply came to our notice then, Belarusian military does not go to CSTO exercises in Central Asia, nor under Chelyabinsk and spend them only on its territory. for example, such cooperation was based on large-scale exercises West-2017 ", – states Litovkin.
Dmitry Sikorski
