Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has finally made a public appearance after nearly a week’s absence. On May 15, the politician arrived at the central command post of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, where he heard a report on the organization and implementation of combat duty tasks for air defense.
In photographs taken at the command post, the Belarusian leader has his left hand bandaged, while his right hand was bandaged at the May 9 parade.
“Without great reports. Let’s look at what is happening around our country, ”the Pool of the First Telegram channel, close to the politician’s press service, quotes the beginning of the president’s speech.
High alert mode
Lukashenko announced that the Belarusian army had switched to high alert mode after the crash of four aircraft in the Bryansk region.
“Three days after the events near us – I mean in the Bryansk region, when four aircraft were shot down. We are forced to react. Since then, we have been on high alert, our troops,” the Belarusian leader said. Two helicopters and two fighter jets crashed near Bryansk. They could have been ambushed Two fighter jets of the Russian Air Force and two Mi-8 helicopters crashed near the Ukrainian border in Bryansk… 13 May 21:12
According to him, at present the situation around the republic is not critical, but “nevertheless, there are alarming factors.”
Russia officially confirmed the crash of only one ship: the Mi-8 helicopter crashed on May 13 in the Klintsovsky district of the Bryansk region. Sources of “Kommersant” reported the fall of two helicopters and two planes. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation did not comment on the situation.
Additional forces
The commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Republic, Andrei Lukyanovich, specified that the command had attracted additional forces and means to ensure combat duty.
“Every day, from 750 to 1 thousand people in our branch of the armed forces take up combat duty in air defense. The duty forces after the incidents in the Russian Federation were put on alert number one. These were anti-aircraft missile troops, radio engineering and aviation, ”the BelTA military leader is quoted as saying.“This technique is already fifty years old”: who shot down planes in the Bryansk region On May 13, two Mi-8 helicopters, a Su-34 front-line bomber and …
Lukyanovich added that the Air Force and Air Defense Forces regularly receive new models of equipment. For example, the delivery of new anti-aircraft missile systems and new Su-30SM aircraft is expected this year.
How the president disappeared
The day before, Lukashenka missed the ceremony of celebrating the Day of the Flag, Emblem and Anthem of Belarus. At the same time, the Nasha Niva publication claimed that on the eve of the holiday, the presidential cortege was near a special hospital near Minsk for about two hours.
The politician also missed other official events over the past five days. The last time before a long absence, the politician was seen at the May 9 military parade in Moscow.
According to a number of media reports, Lukashenka caught SARS in Russia. A few more people from the politician’s entourage are allegedly ill with the flu. The press service, in turn, stated that “the president is working with documents.”
“To say that Lukashenka has a cold, is sick, needs treatment, is to show his weakness. And in such systems it is a destabilizing factor. Because the whole system of power is built on Lukashenka. And if he does not resist, then a struggle for power may begin, ”said political analyst Alexander Fridman.
The disappearance of Lukashenka was commented even in the Kremlin. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that “it is necessary to focus on official information.” He also added that Minsk has not yet made any official proposals for a meeting between Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin.