Eurasia Press & News
A landlocked country has received Russia’s Bastion defense defense systems, amateur footage taken by Belarusian citizens on the Russian-Belarusian border. The news is puzzling, especially among Belarusian citizens, who know best that their country has no access to the sea, and the nearest is hundreds of kilometers away.
Russian mobile coastal missile systems Bastion were spotted a few days ago [October 31 – ed.] Around 4:00 local time in Dubrovno district of Vitebsk region. BulgarianMilitary.com carefully examined the sent amateur footage, additionally providing them to local military experts, who confirmed the doubts of the editorial board and categorically stated that these are the K-300P missile systems that are transported on the MZKT-7930 car chassis. Bastion missile systems. Bastion is one of the modern and very precise and successful Russian weapon systems designed to fight frigates or large warships.
As Belarus, according to NATO information, as well as information provided by the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, does not have these weapons systems, it is most logical that they be Russian. Some speculations claim that the specific systems were delivered for repair in Belarus, mostly with regard to some technical malfunction in the car’s chassis. However, this is unlikely, as the Russian Bastions entered and continued into Belarus on their own, escorted only by military police.
Military analysts explain the existence of missile coastal systems in Belarus as follows: it is quite possible and quite logical for Russia to provide these systems to Belarus for the protection of the Belarusian border. There are several facts that lead to this decision:
First – Belarus has been shaken in recent months by civil protests against President-elect Alexander Lukashenko. Western countries do not recognize this choice, and stand behind the attempts of the civilian population to overthrow Lukashenko. To show solidarity and readiness for this, NATO exercises were held near the Belarusian border immediately after the presidential election, prompting the Belarusian president to say that a military coup and military invasion of Belarus was being prepared. Then it is quite logical for Russian Bastions to end up on the territory of the country, guaranteeing the protection of Poland and Ukraine – the two opposite neighboring countries of Belarus.
Second – Bastion is nothing more than an improved Iskander anti-aircraft missile system. In this regard, we have repeatedly reported tests of Bastion for air targets, not sea. Therefore, although Belarus does not have maritime territory, Bastion can provide better protection against Iskander from its two opposite neighbors. The bastion has an even longer range – 600 km.
Given all these features and characteristics, Russia gives a clear signal to NATO and Ukraine that it will not allow a second Nagorno-Karabakh, ie. to stand idly by in any action following exercises, as happened between Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the Tagoreni Karabakh region. At the same time, Moscow’s action legalizes Lukashenko’s choice, at least in Putin’s eyes, and for him, Belarusian territory plays a very important part of Russia’s overall defense.
By exactly the same logic, Moscow can keep an eye on the next naval exercises in the Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, “winking” at their leaders, not to think about changing the status quo in the region in the near future.
Russian S-300 and S-400 missile systems have been transferred to Belarus
As we reported on October 10, a local source from Belarus claims that the Russian Federation has transferred its S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to the Republic of Belarus. According to the video footage provided, a column of anti-aircraft missile systems can be seen on the main road near the Minsk National International Airport. Careful examination of the video footage reveals that a column of Russian air defense systems was indeed being withdrawn from the airport area, the column being composed mostly of S-300 missile systems.
But at the 14th-15th second of the video, the next in line in the column is a mobile starter with a VAZ chassis, which the Russians use only for the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system. Another feature that stands out is the S-400 launch vehicle, which is generally longer in size than those of the S-300 complexes. We remind you that until now Belarus and Lukashenko did not have the latest missile system in Russia, but now apparently Moscow has decided to transport and deliver to Minsk from the same.
However, the question remains why the S-400 air defense system was transported to Belarus? Military experts comment that there are two possibilities: the first is that Moscow has transported anti-aircraft systems in preparation for a future joint military exercise, and the second is that aid has been provided free of charge to a foreign country.
There is a third possibility that should not be ruled out. We know that Poland will have American fifth-generation F-35 fighters. Also, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia often organize and participate in Baltic military exercises with their NATO and US partners, working out a possible threat from Russia.
Alliance F-35s have repeatedly participated in these exercises. Moscow could try, through the activation of the S-400 in border military areas in Belarus, to obtain secret information about the F-35 technology used – something that Washington has repeatedly warned both its partners around the world and personally Turkey, which has already bought the same S-400 systems from Russia, and a second delivery on a second order is forthcoming.
