The past week was full of events in the sphere of international cooperation. The meeting between the secretaries of the Security Councils of Belarus and Russia, the meeting of the Belarus-Iran interdepartmental commission on military cooperation, and the beginning of the visit of the Belarusian delegation to the United Arab Emirates should be mentioned here. It was also reported that two trains with components of tactical nuclear weapons had arrived in Belarus, but there is no reliable data on the presence of such weapons on the territory of the country.
On November 8, Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev held a working meeting. They discussed the deepening of cooperation between the special services and military departments of the two countries, as well as the plan of cooperation between the Security Councils with a focus on “countering challenges and threats to the security of the two countries from Ukraine.” The plan of bilateral cooperation between the Security Councils of Belarus and Russia for 2024-2025 was also approved. Such meetings are held annually.
On November 8, Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich said that the draft agreement on mutual security guarantees between Belarus and Russia was almost ready and could be submitted for signing in the near future. The development of the Security Concept of the Union State is also at the final stage. The document may be approved in 2024.
On November 9, 2023, the 1st meeting of the Joint Belarusian-Iranian Interdepartmental Commission on Military Cooperation was held within the visit of the Iranian military delegation headed by General M. Ahadi, the Head of the International Relations Department of the General Staff of the Iranian Army, to Belarus. During the meeting, the parties agreed on a plan of joint activities for 2024. It was also reported that the Iranian delegation visited the Military Academy of Belarus.
On November 12, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin went on a working visit to the United Arab Emirates. The visit includes negotiations with the UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs and the signing of an agreement on military cooperation.
During the week, events were held to summarize the results of the 2022/2023 academic year in the troops. It was reported on the summarizing results with: chiefs of clothing services, command staff of the Signal Troops (for the first time, chiefs of staff of mechanized, tank, airborne and air assault battalions were involved in the meeting), Engineering Troops, Missile and Artillery Troops, Missile and Artillery Armament Service, etc.
On November 10, the second stage of training with officials of motorized rifle units on firing BMP-2 from closed firing positions was held in the Western Operational Command. Deputy battalion commanders and company commanders were involved in the training. Earlier, at the first stage, similar training was conducted with commanders of mechanized battalions and motorized rifle platoons.
There has been no information about the T-72BM2 tank, Belarus’ modernization of the T-72, for almost half a year. Despite earlier statements by the authorities, it is unlikely that 20-30 tanks will be modernized by the end of 2023. Most likely, the project’s launch date will be moved to 2024.
According to the Community of Railway Workers of Belarus, two more trains with components of tactical nuclear weapons (TNWs) arrived in Belarus in September. On September 15-24, 26 cars loaded with TNW components and cars for the transportation of personnel and support arrived at Prudok station. The 2631st air base for storage of missile weapons and ammunition is located near the station. At the moment, there is no reliable data that could confirm the presence of TNWs on the territory of Belarus.
