Minsk moves to treat attacks on CSTO members as threats to Belarusian security

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a new law updating the country’s military security and defence framework in line with a revised military doctrine, formally equating aggression against allied states with direct threats to Belarus’s national security.

According to Caliber.Az, the document has been published on the National Legal Internet Portal.

Under the law, the list of military threats is expanded to include “an act of armed aggression by any state or coalition of states against the Union State or a member state of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).” In this context, the Belarusian Armed Forces are tasked with maintaining readiness to deploy designated forces and resources to eliminate crisis situations that could escalate into armed conflicts on the territory of Belarus or allied countries.

The legislation also envisages further strengthening of air defence within the framework of the Union State and allows for joint operations with the armed forces of allied states. In addition, it clarifies the respective powers and responsibilities of the president, the Ministry of Defence, and the General Staff in carrying out defence-related missions.

The law enters into force upon its official publication.

The Collective Security Treaty Organisation is a Russia-led military alliance comprising Belarus, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Established on the basis of the 1992 Collective Security Treaty, the CSTO is designed to provide collective defence, with its core principle stipulating that aggression against one member state is regarded as aggression against all.

The organisation conducts joint military exercises, coordinates air defence and security policies, and provides a framework for mutual military assistance among its members.

By Tamilla Hasanova