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Russia set to deploy fighter jet regiment in Belarus by 2015

Russia plans to deploy a fighter jet regiment in Belarus by 2015, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday in Minsk while meeting with Alyaksandr Lukashenka, BelaPAN.

The two countries are beginning to consider plans for establishing an air base in Belarus, he said, according to the Belarusian government’s news agency BelTA.

Russia wants to set up an air force command and control center and deploy the first flight of fighters for combat alert duty in Belarus this year, Mr. Shoigu said. “We intend to continue considering issues important for enhancing the defense capability of our Belarusian colleagues and brothers,” he said.

Four divisions of Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air missile systems will be supplied to Belarus in 2014 under an agreement between the presidents of the two countries, Mr. Shoigu said.

Russia and Belarus are establishing a Single Regional System of Air Defense to protect the airspace and borders of the Belarusian-Russian Union State, he said. In addition, the two countries are implementing an extensive program of military-technical cooperation, Mr. Shoigu said.

During their meeting, Messrs. Lukashenka and Shoigu also discussed preparations for Zapad 2013 (West 2013), a large-scale Belarusian-Russian military exercise that will be held in September.

Mr. Lukashenka expressed puzzlement at the West’s misgivings about the exercise, noting that its sole purpose was to maintain the defense capability of Belarus and Russia. “This is not the first exercise,” he said. “It is not even defensive in nature, we’re simply adjusting to each other. New people have appeared. We’re checking the system, which was tuned a long time ago.”

Mr. Lukashenka stressed that the “system” was not directed against Poland, Baltic countries or NATO. “Naturally, they should understand that if they try to give us a mean look, we’ll respond to that,” he said.

Politicians in Baltic countries and Poland have expressed concern about the Zapad 2013.

Former Polish Defense Minister Romuald Szeremietiew said this past January that plans by Belarus and Russia to hold the exercise were evidence of the countries’ intention to attack Poland.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski insisted that the joint maneuvers were aimed at provoking Poland.