Lukashenko wanted his own “Iskanders”; he says he’s already making them

Iryna Balachuk - Tuesday, 10 May, 15:11

The self-proclaimed President of Belarus declared that Belarus is producing a new missile similar to Russia’s Iskander, and that the President of the Russian Federation promised to help him to develop it.

Source: The Belarusian State publication BelTA

Quote by Lukashenko at a meeting concerning State defence procurement: "How is the development of prospective samples of armaments, particularly missiles, going?

"Because we are creating a new missile. A very effective missile similar to the Iskander model. And there was full support [from Russia - Ed.]."

Details: Lukashenko said that, at his last meeting with the President of the Russian Federation in the Far East, they "unequivocally agreed" that Russian specialists in missile production would "take a look at Belarusian products".

According to the self-proclaimed President, at that meeting, and in his presence, Putin instructed Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, to "provide support immediately" so that Belarus did not "make a bicycle" but could "tap into the experience of the Russian specialists who made the Iskander missile."

BelTA also reported that Belarus is testing the new missiles for the Polonez [rocket] system and the Buk [medium-range surface-to-air missile] system.