Lukashenko familiarized with artillery ordnance depot in Gomel

All kinds of weapons and military hardware are stored and repaired at this facility.

The head of state was informed about the purpose of the artillery ordnance depot and its structure.

The depot chief Yevgeny Maslyukov said that the weapon depot was established in 1941 and was heavily involved in World War Two. It has been located in Gomel since 1945. The territory has a section dedicated to storing small arms, shops to repair weapons and hardware, and outdoor sites for weapon storage. “The depot is designed for repairs and maintenance of missile and artillery weapon systems, for keeping the relevant ordnance, and for providing materiel support to the army and territorial defense forces,” the officer said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered whether all the small arms are repaired, whether they are stored properly, and are ready for combat.

“Affirmative,” Yevgeny Maslyukov responded.

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin told the president that all the small arms in storage of the Belarusian army are properly inventoried and are in good order.

The head of state personally examined the storage conditions. “It is a major accomplishment. Well done! It should be done just like that,” he appreciated what he saw. “If you have done it, if you have sorted out everything properly, then well done.”

For instance, among other things an assault rifle was demonstrated to Aleksandr Lukashenko. The president wondered whether it was a new one or whether it had been refurbished. The depot chief noted that it is difficult to guess from how the weapon looks because used assault rifles get refurbished to mint condition at the artillery ordnance depot and they are impossible to tell apart visually.

Then the head of state examined the shop where artillery weapon systems get repaired. For instance, the shop fixes Gvozdika and Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers as well as the Giatsint cannon and Vasilek automatic mortars.

“We definitely have to take care of import substitution. Importing these things costs too much. Put pressure on the manufacturing sector!” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

After that the president went on a tour of the shops that repair military optics and small arms.