Russia completes delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Belarus

MOSCOW. May 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia has completed the delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Belarus, the Russian Defense Ministry told Interfax on Monday. "All planned deliveries of S-300 to Belarus have been completed," a source said, adding that the systems will be part of a joint Russian- Belarussian air defense system in the west. For details, see the Interfax - Military News Agency newswire.

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Russia Transferring S-300 Air/Missile Defense Systems to Belarus

March 4, 2004 :: Gateway to Russia :: News

Some reports of Russia’s transfer of S-300 air and missile defenses to Belarus claim the systems are old and useless. Others, however, indicate that they may still be in working order.

The transfer consists of S-300s which are being taken out of service. One report has Acting Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov describing them to journalists as “not in an operational condition.” Another, from ITAR-TASS, has the same person saying that they are in operable condition. A third, from RIA-Novosti quoting a defense official, says that they will be sent to Belarus after being restored to combat-ready status.

A previous report from October, 2003 seems to favor the systems’ operable status, which cited Ivanov stressing of the reported deal that “What is important is that these systems will be in service use, and they will guard the airspace of the Union State.” The S-300 was then described as “the calling card of Russian air defense,” as well as defense against ballistic and cruise missiles, with an intercepting range of 7-100km, a height of 25-30km, and a flying speed of 300 meters per second. (Article)

Belarus sells weapons to Iran: Minsk officials
MINSK (AFP) Nov 20, 2003
The isolated former Soviet republic of Belarus said Thursday that its arms sales in recent years mainly went to four countries including Iran and Sudan.

Minsk has exported tanks, armoured personnel carriers and heavy artillery to Tehran, Khartoum, the Ivory Coast and Algeria, said Vasily Pavlov, top arms export control official at the foreign ministry.

However, he denied any Belarussian military exports to Iraq under ousted president Saddam Hussein.

Washington has accused the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko of selling military communication equipment to Iraq in violation of the UN embargo before the US-led invasion in March.

Pavlov presented a report on Belarussian arms sales in 2002 and 2003 to reporters.

"Belarus is the first country of the CIS (grouping of former Soviet republics) to have published such a document, which shows our country's wish to increase transparency in military sales," he said.

vk-neo-hm/yad/gk

Dictatorial, tyrannical, and oppressive regimes stick together, it seems. If it were not for the backing of Putin, the Lukashenko regime would be easier for the West to dislodge than the Middle Eastern authoritarian governments. Unfortunately, the Western governments are quite concerned with keeping Russia appeased, so seriously threatening or even overthrowing Lukashenko is out of the question. Alas! If Lukashenko were removed, perhaps the Iranian theocracy would become substantially weaker as well.

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G. Stolyarov II
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