Belarusian Army: Strength In Numbers?

The size of Belarus's army has fluctuated over the years, with an estimated 49,000 personnel in 2017, 63,000 in 2024, and 48,000 in 2022. The army consists of ground forces and an air force, with no navy due to the country being landlocked. The ground forces were founded on March 20, 1992, and by 1994, they had over 50,000 troops, most of whom were former soldiers of the Soviet Army's Belorussian Military District. The army's equipment at that time included 79 T-54s, 639 T-55s, 291 T-62s, 299 T-64s, 8 T-80s, and 1,800 T-72s. Belarus has a population of around 9.3 million, and President Alexander Lukashenko has stated that the country has 1.5 million potential military personnel outside its armed forces.

Belarus's army consists of Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces

The Armed Forces of Belarus consist of the Ground Forces, the Air Force, and the Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence. In 2017, the IISS estimated that the Belarusian Armed Forces numbered 49,000 personnel, with nearly 350,000 reserves.

Ground Forces

The Belarusian Ground Forces are a service branch of the Armed Forces of Belarus. They were founded on March 20, 1992, the same day the Defence Ministry of Belarus was established. By 1994, the Ground Forces had over 50,000 troops, most of whom were former soldiers of the Soviet Army's Belorussian Military District.

In December 2001, the Ground Forces underwent a major reorganization, producing two operational-territorial commands: the Western Operational Command at Grodno and the North Western Operational Command at Barysaw. The Ground Forces headquarters was abolished during reorganization in 2011 and replaced by combat training and territorial defence directorates.

Air Force and Air Defence Forces

The Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus were formed in 1992 from the 26th Air Army of the Soviet Air Forces, which had been serving in the Byelorussian SSR. The Belarusian Air Force was officially established on June 15, 1992, when the Minister of Defence issued Order #05/15.06.1992 for the transformation of the 26th Air Army into the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

In 2001, the Air Forces (VVS) and Air Defence Troops were merged into the Air Forces and Air Defence of the Armed Forces of Belarus. The Air Force and Air Defence Forces have three arms: Air Forces, Missile Air Defence Troops, and Radiotechnical Troops.

In 2024, Belarus's army had 48,000 troops and 12,000 border troops

In 2024, Belarus's army consisted of 48,000 troops and 12,000 border troops, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance report. This number does not include the country's reserve personnel, which totalled nearly 350,000 in 2017. Most soldiers in Belarus are conscripts, serving for a period of 18 months, though there is an alternative service option. In addition to its ground forces, Belarus also has an Air Force and Air Defence Force.

Belarus's military forces are almost exclusively armed with Soviet-era equipment inherited from the Soviet Union, though the country receives around 100 new and upgraded systems each year, according to Belarusian Deputy Minister of Defence for Armament and Chief of Armament, Major General Sergei Simonenko. The country's main battle tanks (MBTs) include Russian-made T-72s, T-62s, and T-55s, and its armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) include Russian-made MT-LBs, BMP-2s, BMP-1s, and BMD-1s. Belarus's truck fleet includes Russian-made GAZ-66s and KAMAZ-6560s.

In terms of airpower, the Belarusian Air Force is equipped with MiG-29 fighters, Su-25 attack aircraft, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, as well as some older, Polish-built Mi-2 helicopters. In 2005, Belarus purchased 10 L-39C jet trainer aircraft from Ukraine, and in 2017, it signed a contract to buy 12 Su-30SM fighters. In 2006, the country acquired four batteries of S-300 anti-aircraft systems from Russia to reinforce its air defence capabilities.

The Belarusian military has undergone several reorganisations since its founding in 1992, including a major restructuring in 2001 that resulted in the creation of two operational-territorial commands: the Western Operational Command and the North Western Operational Command. This reorganisation further integrated the Belarusian military into the Russian command structure, with Belarus conducting joint exercises under Russian command.

In addition to its regular armed forces, Belarus also has a paramilitary force known as the Territorial Forces, which comprise over 120,000 troops. The country's total potential military personnel, including those outside the regular armed forces, is estimated to be around 1.5 million.

The army is underfunded and reliant on outdated Soviet-era equipment

The army of Belarus is reliant on outdated Soviet-era equipment. In 1994, the Belarusian Ground Forces' equipment included 79 T-54s, 639 T-55s, 291 T-62s, 299 T-64s, 8 T-80s, and 1,800 T-72s. As of 2024, the Belarusian army's tanks consist of Russian-type T-72s, T-62s, and T-55s. The army's APCs and IFVs are of Russian type MT-LB, BMP-2, BMP-1, and the BMD-1, and its trucks are the GAZ-66 and the KAMAZ-6560.

The Belarusian army is also underfunded. In 2021, the army's budget was 650 million USD, which, with a PPP multiplier, is the equivalent of 2 billion USD. In comparison, the NYPD's budget in 2020 was 5.6 billion USD, excluding pensions, fringe benefits, and debt servicing. If these are included, the NYPD's budget rises to just under 11 billion USD.

The vast majority of Belarus's armed personnel are paramilitary, intended for internal policing and the suppression of dissent. The army's active personnel number 63,000, although other sources place this figure at 48,000 or 49,000. The army's reserves are said to number 350,000 or 145,000.

The army is primarily used as a tool for internal policing and suppression of dissent

The army in Belarus is primarily used as a tool for internal policing and the suppression of dissent. The country's military forces consist of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence. Belarus's armed forces numbered 49,000 in 2017, with nearly 350,000 reserves. Most soldiers are conscripts serving for a period of 18 months, although there is an alternative service option.

The Internal Troops of Belarus are a uniformed paramilitary gendarmerie force formed from the former Soviet Internal Troops after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They consist of three independent brigades and seven independent battalions (consecutively numbered). The Internal Troops are regulated by Law No. 2341-XII, signed on 3 June 1993. One of their formations is the Minsk-based 3rd Red Banner Separate Special-Purpose Brigade, which performs crowd control and anti-terrorism tasks, as well as providing assistance to border guards.

The Militsiya is the police service of Belarus, under the supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is considered the main policing and law enforcement agency in the country. The Ministry is also responsible for providing security to state buildings and officials. The Presidential Guard and the State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus are also under the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to human rights groups, the United States, and the European Union, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its senior leadership play a key role in human rights violations and political repression in Belarus. Several former officers of the Ministry have been accused of involvement in the unresolved disappearances and alleged murders of opposition leaders, a sponsor, and a journalist in 1999-2000. A number of former Ministers and senior officials have been included in the sanctions lists of the European Union and the United States as a result.

The Belarusian army has been used to suppress protests and demonstrations, with troops often being the first to actively involve themselves in such crackdowns. For example, internal troops were responsible for the violent repression of a demonstration on 19 December 2010 in Minsk, and police forces brutally repressed peaceful demonstrations on 19 December 2010 and in June 2011.

The army has around 300,000 reservists

The Belarusian army is made up 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, but the Belarusian military does have control over some small Soviet-inherited naval vessels in its rivers and lakes.

In 2017, the IISS estimated that personnel in the armed forces numbered 49,000, and nearly 350,000 reserves. The army still has around 300,000 reservists, most of whom are conscripts serving for a period of 18 months. The large number of reservists is a priority for the Belarusian military, which still holds many Soviet military laws. The reservists are in addition to the professional army, which has about 48,000 troops, and 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance.

Belarus has a population of around 9.3 million, and President Alexander Lukashenko has said that the country has 1.5 million potential military personnel outside its armed forces. In February 2023, Lukashenko ordered the formation of a new volunteer territorial defence force of up to 150,000 people, stating that his army would fight only if Belarus was attacked.

The Belarusian army is almost exclusively armed with Soviet-era equipment inherited from the Soviet Union, although Belarusian Deputy Minister of Defence for Armament and Chief of Armament Major General Sergei Simonenko has stated that "the Belarusian armed forces receive around 100 brand-new and upgraded systems a year".

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