When it comes to ensuring state security, what is needed from scientists is concrete results, not “fairy tales” and promises to do something useful in the future, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during a working trip to Minsk Oblast, while visiting the testing ground of the O. V. Roman Powder Metallurgy Institute on 6 October, BelTA has learned.
The head of state was briefed on promising developments by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus aimed at strengthening technological sovereignty. In this area, Belarusian scientists also work for the civilian sector. For example, they produce industrial explosives that are in great demand in geological exploration and quarrying.
In the military sector, one of the pressing tasks today, as Aleksandr Lukashenko said, is to “zero out drones”, that is, to develop means that can reliably and effectively counter them. All the more so since Belarus has scientific schools working in this field. “We need a means of countering these drones. How you solve the problem is your business. But if you are as smart as we boast, as combat-capable, as advanced and as strong-willed as you claim, then go and do it. Zero out these drones. There is no need to get into a race over who can build a better drone. Yes, we need a good drone, there is no getting away from that. But the main thing is to learn how to counter drones,” the president said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that if there is a result in any given priority area, both he personally and the state as a whole will always provide the necessary support: “Do it and come, as I often say, ask for whatever you want.” He cited a recent example of this approach, when a woman who had given birth to triplets asked for an apartment. Aleksandr Lukashenko had earlier said in one of his statements that such mothers should ask him for whatever they needed. “She asked for an apartment. She got one,” he said.
“We need results,” the head of state told the scientists. “While preparing for this trip, I thought that Vladimir Stepanovich [Karanik, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences] would report for the first time not only to me but also to the people on his achievements in ensuring state security. This should not be another fairy tale about how we will do something tomorrow.”
Developing new means of countering drones and improving drones themselves is an important area in which the state expects serious results from the scientific sector, but it is not the only one. Of course, all this work requires serious funding. “This is substantial state investment. Is it producing the result it can produce, the result that both the military and the country need?” Aleksandr Lukashenko put this fundamental question to the participants in the event.
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich and Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Pavel Muraveiko reported that the tasks set for scientists are being addressed. The results can also be seen in export figures, as these products are sought after by foreign buyers as well. But the president demands maximum return, with results not in the distant future but within concrete, tight deadlines.
“So that we set the task: go and solve it. And monitor it every six months,” the head of state said. “Men, I want you to understand: these broad talks are of no use to anyone. We set serious, extraordinary tasks for the military. The tasks that need to be solved must be solved immediately. There will be no other tasks. We do not need scientists who walk around telling fairy tales.”
“There are long-term tasks. They have been set out. There are tight deadlines - 2027-2028. This is the horizon they must deliver on,” Pavel Muraveiko assured.
According to him, many of the scientists’ developments in national security have already been put into practice, the necessary tests have been carried out, and serial production has begun in a number of areas. All of this is done in close contact with the military so as to take their needs into account.
The head of state was shown scientific developments for civilian and defense purposes, including rockets, munitions for UAVs and fuses for them, and composite solid rocket fuel. Aleksandr Lukashenko got familiar with the technology for loading rockets with composite rocket fuel and observed a test of a rocket propulsion unit.
The president also reviewed unmanned aerial vehicles. Domestic scientists have made significant progress in this area recently, but Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed that they step it up even further. “We must support this. If we understand that we need the latest-generation drones, we must know which ones we need. Determine whom we will support. And let them work. Tight deadlines,” the Belarusian leader instructed.
Another development by Belarusian scientists is domestic gunpowder and other explosives needed by special units. The head of state was briefed on the further prospects in this area and familiarized himself with the testing of high-energy explosives.
The president was also shown various armored motor vehicles, means of armor protection and special equipment. Tasks in this area were set by the head of state long ago. Today Belarus already produces a sufficient number of body armor vests whose properties are at least no worse than foreign equivalents. “I am on top of this, I raised it myself. We needed extremely good, effective body armor,” the Belarusian leader said.
During the visit to the testing ground, Aleksandr Lukashenko got familiar with systems for detecting, tracking and destroying UAVs, and with developments by Aviation Technologies and Complexes and LEMT Science and Technology Center. The head of state was particularly interested in the two-seat Filin gyroplane. The aircraft is reliable and capable of ensuring a safe landing even if the engine fails. It can be used for reconnaissance, observation, transport and special tasks. But that is far from the full range of its capabilities. Domestic specialists have also managed to adapt the gyroplane for agricultural field treatment. But before talking about scaling up production, everything must be carefully calculated, Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
As a gift, the head of state was presented with a fully domestically produced thermal imaging sight used to equip small arms.
In conclusion, the president once again promised support to scientists and developers, but for concrete results. He also stressed the need to make effective use of domestic capabilities, especially in areas where strong competencies have been built up: “We need to do what we can do, at lower cost. There is no money to throw at everything.”