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Defense ministry declines to comment on speculation that Russian air defense unit may be deployed in Belarus

The Belarusian defense ministry has declined to comment on a statement by Nikolai Dimidyuk, a senior manager of Russia's military hardware export company, Rosoboronexport, that a Russian air defense unit may be deployed in Belarus.

"The defense ministry doesn't have the right to comment on remarks made by the Russian side," Vyachaslaw Ramenchyk, spokesman for the ministry, told BelaPAN. "The Russian defense ministry hasn't made any statements in this regard."

The supply of military equipment and weapons is not the responsibility of the defense ministry, Mr. Ramenchyk said. This is the prerogative of the Belarusian State Defense Industry Committee, he added. "And the deployment of brigades is within the competence of the country's leadership," Mr. Ramenchyk noted.

While talking to reporters in Moscow on November 12, Mr. Dimidyuk said, "As for Belarus, the priority there is to create a CIS air defense system."

"New air defense systems will surely be supplied to that country. And who knows, maybe the presidents will reach an agreement and some of our air defense brigades will be based there," Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.