Lukashenko: Belarus must have its own production of standard ammunition by year’s end

Aleksandr Lukashenko explained that the meeting was held behind closed doors due to the sensitive nature of the topics discussed. “The main question is: how is the development of ammunition production capacity progressing? Next year, even by the end of this year, we should have our own ammunition. Standard ammunition,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that despite the emphasis placed on missiles and drones in contemporary warfare, they are not decisive in determining the outcome of a single battle, much less an entire war. “In the war in Ukraine, we still see that conventional weapons play a major role. Artillery, 152mm ammunition for them. And Grad systems, the modern version of the Katyushas from the Great Patriotic War, have proven highly effective. They were of immense help to us then. And today, these Grad-type systems play an important role on the battlefield,” the president remarked.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that, as combat experience shows, the consumption of such ammunition is extremely high.

 Therefore, a decision was made earlier to produce domestic ammunition for artillery guns and Grad systems. “A decision was made to build the necessary production facilities here, capable of manufacturing sufficient quantities of ammunition. There is no secret here. I am not hiding it. You see what is happening in Western Europe where the continent’s largest companies are increasingly shifting to ammunition production,” the head of state said.

The president recalled that the issue of domestic production of cartridges had been raised earlier and has now been resolved. “Grenade launchers will have a role in any engagement, particularly in our operational environment given the terrain. Therefore, we must have domestically produced rounds for these systems,” he continued.

In summary, the head of state noted that all the aforementioned types of ammunition can be produced in the required quantities and stored effectively. “We can produce them in sufficient amounts and store them in warehouses. These are not drones, which cannot be stockpiled in large numbers. And how many warehouses would be needed to store various types of unmanned aerial vehicles?” he remarked.

 The president inquired about the organization of the production process and warned all responsible officials: “God forbid you should let this effort fall behind schedule.”

Separately, the head of state emphasized the need for a clear division of responsibilities and tasks. “I do not want the government to sidestep these issues. But everyone should have their own tasks. You [the government] are responsible for financing together with the finance minister and others. And the organization and oversight should lie with the State Secretariat and the State Control Committee,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin, Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi, State Secretary of the Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich, Chairman of the State Control Committee Vasily Gerasimov, Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor Karankevich and Anatoly Sivak, Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, Finance Minister Vladislav Tatarinovich, and Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus.