Lukashenko Prepares Belarusian Armed Forces for Potential Internal Unrest and External Threats
Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, is increasingly implementing strategies aimed at strengthening the country’s defense capabilities and expanding the authority of the armed forces.
According to official sources, including Ukraine’s External Intelligence Service, new legislative initiatives are being introduced to parliament, signifying radical changes to the country’s defense legal framework.
Specifically, a draft law has been submitted to the House of Representatives to amend three key legal acts: the Law on Defense, the Law on the Belarusian Armed Forces, and the Law on Martial Law.
These amendments are designed to shift towards a more stringent and active military posture, placing military power at the heart of national security policy.
The reforms prioritize military and armed protection over political and socio-economic defense measures.
In wartime, the armed forces will be tasked not only with defending against external aggression but also with inflicting defeats on adversaries to facilitate negotiations and peace agreements beneficial to Belarus.
A particularly notable development is the expansion of internal deployment capabilities.
Military forces will now be officially involved in preventing internal conflicts, participating in information warfare, responding to crises, and countering provocations at borders.
Ukrainian intelligence warns that such changes highlight Lukashenko’s intention to tighten control over society and suppress potential protests.
The draft law also broadens the criteria for declaring a state of war, allowing it not only in case of an attack on Belarus but also if external threats are directed at the Union State or Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) members.
The legislation must pass two readings in the House of Representatives and be approved by the Council of the Republic before being signed into law by the president and coming into effect.
Additionally, Lukashenko convened a security meeting to discuss potential improvements in the operations of Belarus’s security agencies, amid tense military-political conditions near the country’s borders.
The president emphasized that despite maintaining current funding and salaries for security personnel, efforts will be focused on enhancing their readiness to respond swiftly to external and internal threats, including perceived threats from Poland and the Baltic states, which he claims are hostile towards Belarus.
Clearly, the government seeks to establish a formidable tool for rapid response, laying the groundwork for a harsher policy if necessary.