How Belarusian Authorities Sought to Expand Their Participation in the War Against Ukraine
Belpol published a series of documents which, according to the investigation's authors, attest to the active participation of Belarusian state bodies and enterprises in cooperation with the Russian military-industrial complex after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
BelOMO Plant. Photo: armtorg.ru
Among the materials published by Belpol is a memo on problematic issues of interaction with the Russian Federation, signed by Deputy Minister of Industry Aliaksandr Kazlou.
According to this document, in the first year of the war, the Belarusian side sought Russian funding to organize the production of components for 122 mm caliber rocket artillery shells at "Legmash" and elements for 152 mm caliber artillery shells at the Minsk Bearing Plant. It was planned that purchases of such products would continue for at least five years.
As noted by the investigation's authors, the production of ammunition components became a significant growth factor for "Legmash." The enterprise, which previously was not among the most successful, increased production volumes and began expanding production facilities.
It follows from the same memo that the Belarusian side insistently offered the Russian Ministry of Defense to purchase MAZ vehicles. Deliveries of such equipment were eventually organized, and Belarusian trucks, as Belpol notes, were repeatedly observed in the combat zone.
The memo also mentions the visit by the head of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense to the BelOMO enterprise in the autumn of 2022. During this visit, a list and quantity of products for the needs of the Russian military department were determined.
However, as follows from a letter dated February 14, 2023, from the holding's management addressed to the then Minister of Industry of Belarus, Aliaksandr Rahožnik, the enterprise initially failed to achieve the desired result. "BelOMO" continued to affirm its readiness to supply sights and other optical products. A year later, the enterprise managed to join the ranks of suppliers.
The investigators note that issues concerning the production of military-purpose products were discussed not only within military-industrial structures but also at the level of the Ministries of Industry of Belarus and Russia.
As follows from the "Proposals for the Speech Theses of the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus V.M. Karankevich," signed by Deputy Minister of Industry Kazlou, in 2024, 105,161 units of optical products — sights of various types, rangefinders, monoculars, and other items — were supplied to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The document also mentions other Belarusian enterprises involved in fulfilling Russian defense orders. MAZ shipped vehicles, Hrodna Mechanical Plant — tank trucks. UE "ITC Haryzont" — information display systems. The "BAZtyub" Plant in 2024 shipped 60,300 blanks for rocket engine casings for 122 mm caliber rocket artillery shells to the Russian mechanical plant "Shtamp."
The Minsk Bearing Plant declared its readiness to implement "an investment project for organizing import-substituting production … of complete items" for 152 mm caliber artillery shells. It was planned that their output would reach 20,000 units per month.
According to the memo, the Belarusian Ministry of Industry emphasized its readiness to at least maintain the existing production volumes of military-purpose products for Russia. In addition, the ministry informed the Russian side about its interest in expanding production and about the availability of enterprises in Belarus with underutilized capacities, which could be used for the production of "special purpose" items.
Documents related to the activities of the country's highest military leadership attest to the coordination of cooperation. Belpol published documents concerning the business trip of Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin to Moscow on October 17, 2024.
The justification for issuing the Prime Minister's order for the business trip states that the purpose of the trip was to intensify strategic partnership in the field of military-technical cooperation, taking into account the needs of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. One of the trip's objectives was the discussion of issues related to the production of the most in-demand models of armaments, military, and special equipment "in the interests of the special military operation."
Another document, dated September 23, 2024, is a letter signed by the Deputy Chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee of Belarus, Viachaslau Rasalai. In it, the State Military-Industrial Committee urgently requested information about the quantity of products ready for delivery from 2025 to "region 790." According to Belpol, in the State Military-Industrial Committee's designation system, this number corresponds to the Russian Federation.
Thus, the published documents show that not only enterprises of the State Military-Industrial Committee but also factories within the Ministry of Industry system were involved in the fulfillment of Russian defense orders. Moreover, the coordination of cooperation, according to the investigation's materials, took place at the level of ministries, the government, and the military leadership.
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