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This is a list of the equipment used by the Armed Forces of Belarus. The military forces of Belarus are almost exclusively armed with Soviet-era equipment inherited from the Soviet Union. Although large in numbers, some western experts consider some of it outdated.
| Model | Image | Caliber | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistols | |||||
| TT pistol [1] |  | 7.62×25mm Tokarev |  Soviet Union | Semi-automatic pistol | Issued to Territorial Defense units. [2] |
| PSM |  | 5.45×18mm | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic pistol | [1] |
| Makarov PM |  | 9×18mm Makarov | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic pistol | [1] |
| Stechkin |  | 9×18mm Makarov | Soviet Union | Selective fire machine pistol | [3] |
| Glock 17 |  | 9×19mm Parabellum |  Austria | Semi-automatic pistol | Used by OMON, "Almaz" counter-terrorist unit, KGB Alpha Group. [4] |
| SIG Sauer P226 |  | 9×19mm Parabellum |  West Germany  Switzerland | Semi-automatic pistol | P226 used by Special Forces, OSAM (Border guard) "Almaz", KGB Alpha Group, and SBP (Presidential security). [4] |
| Submachine guns | |||||
| Heckler & Koch MP5 [5] |  | 9×19mm Parabellum | West Germany  Turkey | Submachine gun | MP5A3 and MP5SD3, MP5A5, MP5K variants imported from Turkey. [6] [7] |
| Shotguns | |||||
| Remington Model 870 |  | 12-gauge |  United States | Pump-action combat shotgun | Used by Ministry of Interior units or paratroopers. [4] |
| Mossberg 500 | 12-gauge | United States | Pump-action combat shotgun | Used by OMON, Almaz, and KGB Alpha group. The Mossberg Maverick 88 is also used. [4] | |
| Benelli M4 |  | 12-gauge |  Italy | Semi-automatic combat shotgun | Used by OMON, "Almaz" counter-terrorist unit, Border Guard Service Institute and KGB Alpha Group. Seen in use with security forces in Minsk during the 2020 protests. [4] |
| Assault rifles | |||||
| AKM |  | 7.62×39mm | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | [1] |
| AK-74 |  | 5.45×39mm | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | Standard service rifle. [1] [8] |
| АК-12 | 5.45×39mm |  Russian Federation | Assault rifle | Used by special forces. [9] | |
| AKS-74 |  | 5.45×39mm | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | [8] |
| AKS-74U |  | 5.45×39mm | Soviet Union | Assault carbine | [1] [8] |
| AS Val |  | 9×39mm | Soviet Union | Suppressed assault rifle | Used by special forces. [10] |
| 9A-91 |  | 9×39mm | Russian Federation | Carbine | [11] |
| Sniper rifles and designated marksman rifles | |||||
| VSS Vintorez |  | 9×39mm | Soviet Union | Suppressed sniper rifle | Used by special forces. [10] |
| Dragunov SVD |  | 7.62×54mmR | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic designated marksman rifle | [1] |
| MTs-116M |  | 7.62×54mmR |  Russia | Bolt-action sniper rifle | Used by special forces (SSO). [10] |
| Orsis T-5000 |  | .338 Lapua Magnum | Russia | Bolt-action sniper rifle | Used by special forces. [10] |
| OSV-96 |  | 12.7×108mm | Russia | Anti-materiel sniper rifle | Used by special forces. [10] |
| Machine guns | |||||
| PK machine gun |  | 7.62×54mmR | Soviet Union | General-purpose machine gun | PKM variant used. [2] Manufactured locally. [5] |
| RPK | 7.62×39mm | Soviet Union | Squad automatic weapon | Issued to Territorial Defense units. [2] Manufactured locally. [5] | |
| RPK-74 |  | 5.45×39mm | Soviet Union | Squad automatic weapon | [8] |
| DShK |  | 12.7×108mm | Soviet Union | Heavy machine gun | [1] |
| NSV |  | 12.7×108mm | Soviet Union | Heavy machine gun | [1] |
| Grenade launchers | |||||
| GP-25/30/34 |  | 40 mm VOG-25 | Soviet Union Russian Federation Russia | Underslung grenade launcher | [8] |
| Rocket propelled grenade launchers | |||||
| RPO-A Shmel |  | 93 mm | Soviet Union Russian Federation Russia | Rocket-propelled grenade | The PDM-A Priz is replacing the RPO-A Shmel flamethrower. [12] |
| RPG-7 |  | 40 mm (launcher only, warhead diameter varies) | Soviet Union | Rocket-propelled grenade | [2] [8] |
| RPG-26 |  | 72.5 mm | Soviet Union | Rocket-propelled grenade | [13] |
| Recoilless rifles | |||||
| SPG-9 |  | 73 mm | Soviet Union | Recoilless rifle | Used by Territorial Defense units. [2] |
| Anti-tank guided missiles | |||||
| 9K111 Fagot |  | 120 mm | Soviet Union | Anti-tank guided missile | [14] |
| 9M113 Konkurs [14] |  | 135 mm | Soviet Union  Belarus | Anti-tank guided missile | Upgraded 9P135M1(RB) Konkurs launchers used. [15] |
| 9K115 Metis [14] |  | 94 mm | Soviet Union | Anti-tank guided missile | Used by Territorial Defense units. [2] |
| Shershen |  | 130 mm & 152 mm | Belarus  Ukraine | Anti-tank guided missile | Belarusian variant of the Ukrainian Skif ATGM. [16] |
| Mortars | |||||
| M-43 |  | 82 mm | Soviet Union | Infantry mortar | [1] |
| 2B11 |  | 120 mm | Soviet Union | Heavy mortar | [1] |
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks | |||||
| T-72A |  | Soviet Union | Main battle tank | N/A | Limited numbers still used for training. |
| T-72B |  | 477 [14] | Can be equipped with slat armour. [17] | ||
| T-72 T-72B3 Obr. 2016 |  | Soviet Union Russia | 20 [14] | [17] | |
| Armoured fighting vehicles | |||||
| BRM-1 |  | Soviet Union | Reconnaissance vehicle | 132 [14] | |
| BRDM-2RKh |  | Soviet Union | NBC reconnaissance vehicle | N/A | Used by NBC Protection Troops. [14] |
| Caiman |  | Belarus | Reconnaissance vehicle | 13+ [14] | Used by special forces and a modified variant is used by NBC Protection Troops. [14] |
| MT-LB |  | Soviet Union | Armoured personnel carrier | 78+ [14] | Some were modified as armoured engineering vehicles. [14] |
| RKhM-4 |  | Russian Federation | NBC reconnaissance vehicle | N/A | Used by NBC Protection Troops. [14] |
| Infantry fighting vehicles | |||||
| BMP-2 |  | Soviet Union | Infantry fighting vehicle | 906 [14] | 20 BMP-2 were transferred to the Russian Armed Forces in 2022. [18] |
| BTR-82A |  | Soviet Union Russia | 31+ [19] | [17] | |
| Armoured personnel carriers | |||||
| BTR-70MB1 |  | Soviet Union Belarus | Armoured personnel carrier | 64 [14] | Used by special forces. [14] |
| BTR-80 |  | Soviet Union | 153 [14] | Can be equipped with slat armour. [17] | |
| Infantry mobility vehicles | |||||
| GAZ Tigr-M |  | Russia | Infantry mobility vehicle | N/A | [17] |
| Dongfeng EQ2050 |  |  People's Republic of China | 22 [20] | Chinese copy based on the US Humvee, Used by Belarusian special forces. [21] [22] | |
| MZKT-4190100 Volat V1 |  | Belarus | N/A | [17] | |
| Dajiang CS/VN3 |  | People's Republic of China | 12 [14] | Used by special forces. [14] | |
| Engineering vehicles | |||||
| BAT-2 |  | Soviet Union | Armoured engineering vehicle | N/A | [17] |
| IMR-2(M) |  | Soviet Union | N/A | [17] | |
| BREM-K |  | Soviet Union / Russia | Armoured recovery vehicle | N/A | [17] |
| MTU-20 |  | Soviet Union | Armoured vehicle launched bridge | 20 [14] | |
| T-55 MT-55A |  | Soviet Union  Czechoslovakia | 4 [14] | ||
| UR-77 'Meteorit' |  | Soviet Union | Mine-clearing line charge | N/A | [17] |
| Self-propelled anti-Tank missile systems | |||||
| 9P148 Konkurs |  | Soviet Union | Anti-tank guided missile | 75 [14] | |
| 9P149 Shturm-S |  | Soviet Union | 85 [14] | [17] | |
| Towed artillery | |||||
| 82mm 2B9 Vasilek |  | Soviet Union | Gun-mortar | N/A | Used by Territorial Defense units. [2] |
| 100mm MT-12 Rapira [17] |  | Anti-tank gun | N/A | Used by Territorial Defense units. [2] | |
| 120mm 2B23 NONA-M1 |  | Gun-mortar | 18 [14] | Used by special forces. [14] | |
| 122mm D-30 |  | Howitzer | 24 [14] | Used by special forces. [14] | |
| 152mm 2A65 Msta-B |  | 108 [14] | [17] | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | |||||
| 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika |  | Soviet Union | Self-propelled howitzer | 125 [14] | [17] |
| 152mm 2S3(M) Akatsiya |  | 125 [14] | [17] | ||
| 152mm 2S5 Giatsint-S |  | 107 [14] | [17] | ||
| Multiple rocket launchers | |||||
| 122mm BM-21 Grad |  | Soviet Union Belarus | Multiple launch rocket system | 128 [14] | Modernized to the BM-21A "BelGrad" standard. Currently being upgraded to the BM-21B "BelGrad 2" standard. [23] |
| 220mm BM-27 Uragan |  | Soviet Union Belarus | 36 [14] | Being upgraded to the Uragan-M standard. [24] | |
| 300mm BM-30 Smerch |  | Soviet Union | 36 [14] | [17] | |
| Guided Multiple Rocket Launchers | |||||
| Polonez |  | People's Republic of China Belarus | Rocket artillery | 6 [14] | Range: 200km, CEP: 30m, Chinese-designed A200 guided rocket produced in Belarus. [17] |
| Polonez-M |  | Range: 290km, CEP: 45m, Chinese-designed A300 guided rocket produced in Belarus. [17] | |||
| Short-range ballistic missiles | |||||
| OTR-21 Tochka-U |  | Soviet Union | Short-range ballistic missile | 36 [14] | Range: 120km, CEP: 95m, slated for replacement by the Chinese-designed M20 SRBM fired from the Polonez launcher. [17] |
| 9K720 Iskander |  | Soviet Union / Russia | 4 [25] | 4 Launchers and 25 Iskander-M missiles delivered in 2022. [25] | |
| Anti-Aircraft Guns | |||||
| 14.5mm ZPU-4 |  | Soviet Union | Anti-aircraft gun | N/A | Used by Territorial Defense units. [2] |
| 23mm ZU-23 |  | N/A | Mounted on technicals. [14] | ||
| Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns | |||||
| 30mm 2K22(M) Tunguska |  | Soviet Union | Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun | N/A | [17] |
| Self-propelled surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems | |||||
| 9K35 Strela-10 |  | Soviet Union | Surface-to-air missile system | N/A | Range: 5km. [17] |
| 9K33 Osa |  | Soviet Union Belarus | N/A | Range: 15km. [17] Being modernized to the 9A33-2B standard. [26] | |
| Tor missile system Tor-M2K |  | Soviet Union Russian Federation | 21. [14] 1 more battery delivered in November 2024. [27] | Range: 16km. [17] | |
| 9K37 Buk |  | Soviet Union | N/A | Range: 25km. [17] | |
| S-300PS |  | N/A | Range: 90km. [17] 4 batteries delivered by Russia in 2006, possibly in exchange for TELs for the Topol-M ICBM system. [25] | ||
| S-300PMU |  | Russia | 4 [25] | 4 batteries and 150 missiles delivered by Russia between 2015 and 2016 as part of a joint air defense agreement. [25] | |
| S-400 Triumf |  | 2 | Two batteries were ordered in 2021, the first one was delivered in 2022, the second in 2023. [25] [28] | ||
| Electronic warfare systems | |||||
| SPN-30 | Soviet Union | Electronic countermeasure | N/A | [17] | |
| Groza R-934UM2 'Groza-6' |  | Belarus | N/A | [17] | |
| Sapsan | Belarus | N/A | Mobile anti-drone system. Uses EW and fire defeat means. [29] | ||
| Radars | |||||
| P-18 'Spoon Rest D' |  | Soviet Union | Radar | N/A | [17] |
| P-35/37 'Bar Lock' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| PRV-9 'Thin Skin E' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| PRV-16 'Thin Skin B' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| 36D6 'Tin Shield' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| 55ZH6 'Tall Rack' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| 1L22 'Parol' |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| 1S80 'Sborka' PPRU |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Rosa-RB-M Ashuluk |  | Belarus | N/A | [17] | |
| Vostok-3D |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Protivnik-GE |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| 9S18 'Kupol' |  | Soviet Union | N/A | Used for the Buk. [17] | |
| 30N6 'Flad Lid' |  | N/A | Used for the S-300. [17] | ||
| 76N6 'Clam Shell' |  | N/A | Used for the S-300. [17] | ||
| 91N6 'Big Bird' |  | N/A | Used for the S-300. [17] | ||
| Unmanned aerial vehicles | |||||
| Orlan-10 |  | Russia | Surveillance | N/A | [17] |
| Supercam S100 |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Supercam S350 |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Irkut-3 |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Irkut-10 |  | N/A | [17] | ||
| Formula | Belarus | N/A | [17] | ||
| VR-12 Moskit-N | N/A | [17] | |||
| Busel M | N/A | [17] | |||
| Berkut-3 | N/A | ||||
| Chekan-B | Kamikaze | N/A | |||
| Kvadro-1400 | N/A | ||||
| Barraging pipe | N/A | [30] | |||
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are the military forces of Belarus. It consists of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence. As a landlocked country, Belarus has no navy, however the Belarusian military does have control over some small Soviet inherited naval vessels in its rivers and lakes.
The Byelorussian SSR was one of only two Soviet republics to be separate members of the United Nations. Both republics and the Soviet Union joined the UN when the organization was founded in 1945.
The State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus, better known as "We Belarusians", is the national anthem of Belarus. It was originally written in the 1940s and adopted in 1955 for use in the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. The music of the Belarusian SSR anthem was composed by Niescier Sakałowski and the lyrics were written by Michas Klimkovič. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the music composed by Sakalowski was kept and the lyrics were discarded. New lyrics, which were written by Klimkovič and Uładzimir Karyzna, were adopted by a presidential decree issued on 2 July 2002.
The national flag of Belarus is an unequal red-green bicolour with a red-on-white ornament pattern placed at the hoist (staff) end. The current design was introduced in 2012 by the State Committee for Standardisation of the Republic of Belarus, and is adapted from a design approved in a May 1995 referendum. It is a modification of the 1951 flag used while the country was a republic of the Soviet Union. Changes made to the Soviet-era flag were the removal of communist symbols – the hammer and sickle and the red star – as well as the reversal of the colours in the ornament pattern. Since the 1995 referendum, several flags used by Belarusian government officials and agencies have been modelled on this national flag.
Gomel Airport is an airport located 3 km north-east from Gomel, the second-largest city in Belarus. It was opened in 1968.
The Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus is the air force of the Armed Forces of Belarus, formed in 1992 from the 26th Air Army of the Soviet Air Forces which had been serving in the Byelorussian SSR.
The Embassy of Belarus in Moscow is the chief diplomatic mission of Belarus in the Russian Federation. It is located at 17 Maroseika Street in the Basmanny District of Moscow.
Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus, also known as Republic Day or Liberation Day is a public holiday, the independence day of Belarus and is celebrated each year on 3 July. Independence Day is a non-working day.
Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus is higher military educational institution in the national education system of the Republic of Belarus and the leading institution in the education system of training, retraining and advanced training of military personnel. It is located on Independence Avenue in the Belarusuan capital of Minsk. It has 10 departments that train officers of 38 specialties for all arms of service.
The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus is the government organisation that is charged with the duties of raising and maintaining the Armed Forces of Belarus.
The Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus is the central military band service of the Armed Forces of Belarus. The band was formed on 1 April 1950 as the Band of the Belorussian Military District. It was expanded into a service in the 1990s after the Independence of Belarus occurred. Its bands participate in military parades, military tattoos, and official ceremonies of Belarus. They perform domestically, regularly performing in the Central Officers House in Minsk, as well as other garrison clubs. The massed bands of the Minsk Garrison is an annual participant in the parades of the Minsk Garrison on Victors Avenue since 2004. The repertoire of the band includes more than 500 compositions of the most important classical music composers and contemporary ones. Bands have performed in festivals in Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Poland, Sweden, and Russia. The band has also played in the Spasskaya Tower military tattoo in 2013, 2016, and 2017. The band is commanded by its Senior Director of Music/Chief Conductor, Lieutenant Colonel Igor Khlebus, since 2019. The artistic director of the band is Colonel Evgueny Dovzhik.
The Minsk Independence Day Parade also known as the July 3 Parade is the main event of the Independence Day of Belarus. This parade is held annually in Minsk on July 3. It is held every year except years that celebrate Victory Day, to which Victory Day Parades are held.
The Polonez is a Belarusian 300 mm rocket artillery system of a launcher unit comprising eight rockets packaged in two four-rocket pods mounted on a MZKT-7930 vehicle. In 2018, it was exported to Azerbaijan. The system was designed by the Belarusian Plant of Precision Electromechanics in cooperation with a foreign country, probably China. The first combat missile launches were carried out in China. The 77th Separate Rocket Artillery Battalion of the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade of the Belarusian Ground Forces is equipped with it. An upgraded version called Polonez-M passed all trials and has been accepted into service by the Belarusian Ground Forces as of May 2019. Polonez-M has an increased range of 290 km, a higher share of domestic components and can fire the improved A-300 missile. The first delivery was conducted in November 2023.
The Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is an Internal Troops - paramilitary law enforcement force in the Republic of Belarus under the national Ministry of Internal Affairs. All personnel are trained in the Internal Troops Faculty of the Military Academy of Belarus.
Pavel Pavlovich Latushko is a Belarusian politician and diplomat. He was the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus from 2009 to 2012.
Viktor Vladimirovich Gulevich is a Belarusian general who was the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus from 2021-2024.
The Minsk Military Commandant is a regional formation of the Armed Forces of Belarus, based in the capital city of Minsk. It serves the territory of the Minsk Oblast and is one of 6 military commandants in the Belarusian Armed Forces. Units under the command of commandants include military police, honour guards and military bands. It also solves a wide variety of tasks, including combat ones. The commandant's office is located in the military town of Uruchye on 20 Rogachevskaya Street. Previously, it was stationed on the square near Svobody Street.
Belarus–NATO relations refers to relations between the Republic of Belarus and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, formerly the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Battalion until May 2022 is a group of Belarusian opposition volunteers, which was formed to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion in 2022.
The 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade is a rocket artillery brigade of the Belarusian Ground Forces. The only rocket artillery brigade of the Armed Forces of Belarus, the brigade is armed with BM-30 Smerch multiple rocket launcher system inherited from the Soviet Union with one battalion equipped with the domestically produced Polonez multiple rocket launcher. Based at the Yuzhny military base near Osipovichi, the brigade reports directly to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus.
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