Belarus bolsters air power with first delivery of Russian Su-30SM2 jets

Belarus has received its first batch of Su-30SM2 fighter jets from Russia.

The delivery was confirmed by the Defence Ministry of Belarus, which stated that the aircraft arrived in accordance with the plan for the development and modernisation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, and as part of defence collaboration with the Russian Federation, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Belarusian media. 

Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin had previously announced on May 24 that the aircraft would be delivered within the week. He noted that the Su-30SM2 jets had been upgraded based on combat experience from Russia’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine.

The Su-30SM2 is a modernised, multirole fighter jet capable of conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Its deployment is expected to significantly bolster Belarus’ aerial combat and deterrence capabilities. Beyond the fighter jets, Belarus is also scheduled to receive additional advanced military hardware from Russia throughout the year. This includes Mi-35M transport and attack helicopters, Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems, BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, cutting-edge electronic warfare equipment, and modern unmanned aerial systems.

By Naila Huseynova