Russian Information Agency Novosti
April 23, 2013
Russia to Deploy Fighter Jets in Belarus – Defense Minister
MINSK: Russia plans to base fighter jets at a military airbase in Belarus, with a first wing due to arrive there later this year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
“In 2013 we will establish a military commandant’s office and provide a wing of combat fighters on alert duty,” he said, adding more jets could be based there later.
“We hope that an Air Force regiment will be here by 2015 to protect our borders,” he said.
Russia will also deliver four battalions of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Belarus in 2014, Shoigu said.
The decision to deliver the missiles was made at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Shoigu said.
Belarus borders NATO nations Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. NATO nations now fly combat air patrols from the Baltic states close to Russian airspace, an issue that has previously been viewed with concern in Moscow.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russian-led military alliance of six former Soviet republics, plans to build an integrated air and missile defense system, the chief of the Russian military’s General Staff said in December.
So far Russia has signed agreements on creation of joint regional air defense systems with Belarus and Kazakhstan.
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Interfax
April 23, 2013
Russian Defense Ministry to deploy airbase in Belarus in 2015, first wing to arrive in 2013 – Shoigu
MINSK: Russia plans to deploy an airbase in Belarus in 2015. The first wing of fighters will be stationed there in 2013, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Tuesday.
“We started to consider the deployment of a Russian airbase with fighter jets and hope to station an air regiment there in 2015. We will open an air commandant’s office and bring the first duty wing of fighters in 2013,” the Russian defense minister said.
Shoigu said the joint board of the Russian and Belarusian defense ministries would meet in Minsk on Tuesday to discuss a broad range of bilateral cooperation issues.
“The main item, first and foremost, is that Russia will supply four S-300 squadrons by 2014 under your [the Belarusian president's] agreement with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to protect the airspace,” Shoigu said.
“We intend to continue the consideration of issues essential for building up the defensive capacity of our Belarusian colleagues and brothers,” Shoigu said.
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