Minister of Defense refutes information about secret survey of officers

Minister of Defense Andrei Raukou replied to the Council of the Belarusian National Congress (Mikalai Statkevich, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu, Vyachaslauu Siuhyk and others) on December 2. The opposition leaders reacted to the statement made by Russian prominent commentator Valeri Soloviyov in an interview with Euroradio that according to a secret survey conducted in the Belarusian Army, between 70% and 80% of our officers wished that Belarus became part of Russia. Statkevich and the others asked Raukou whether the information was true. If it was, it would mean that most Belarusian officers have anti-state views and want the liquidation of our country. They asked the Minister about the patriotic education of officers in the Belarusian Army.

The information about the secret survey is a fake, the Minister replied. “Such surveys contradict the national interests of our state and have never been conducted in the Armed Forces,” Andrei Raukou noted.

“Our officers are devoted to Belarus and are ready to protect its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and constitutional system at any moment in any conditions,” Raukou assured. The reply was written in Belarusian and can be found here.