Russian aviation base will be deployed in Lida

Russia’s aviation base will start functioning in Belarus already this year.

It will be based in Lida, not far from the borders with Lithuania and Poland, the commander in chief of Russian air forces lieutenant general Viktor Bondarev, Interfax reports.

“The creation of a Russian aviation base in Belarus is a result of the implementation of an intergovernmental agreement on strengthening the military component of the Union State, which me are obliged to follow. As a participant of the Union State Russia is obliged to deploy and have its own aviation base there”, - he said on Wednesday in a conversation with journalists.

Answering to the question of the aviation base’s belonging, Viktor Bondarev said that it would be Russia’s.

“The place for the deployment has been finally picked: the town of Lida in the North-West of Belarus. Belarusian party will develop the base, we will be helping them. The aviation base will be an important element of the first strategic echelon of the Union State’s defense, providing the protection of Belarus’ airspace”, - the commander noted.

He noted that no new constructions will need to be built in the aerodrome in Lida in order to provide for the functioning of the Russian aviation base.

“Yes, our commandant’s office will work there, but there is no need to build anything, there is everything present”, - Bondarev specified.

The Russian aviation base will start functioning in Belarus already this year.

“The base will start working in few month already this year, modified fighter jets Su-27SM3 will be based there”, - the commander in chief informed.

Viktor Bondarev does not rule out the possibility of strengthening the aviation section.

“For now we will base Su-27SM3s there, and then we will see what come out of it and will make the final decision”, - he said.

It is 120 kilometers from Lida to the border with Poland, 35- to the border with Lithuania and 100 to its capital Vilnius.

We would remind that for the first time the issue of deploying a Russian aviation base in our country was raised in April 2013. The Minister of Defense of Russia Sergei Shoigu stated that during his visit to Minsk. He said that the first flight of fighter jets would arrive to Belarus already this year. It was also reported that Moscow was planning on supplying Minsk with another 4 divisions of long range surface-to-air missile systems S-300 in 2013.

Earlier it was assumed that the Russian aviation base would be deployed in 80 kilometers from the border with Poland. The neighboring country’s Defense Ministry considered the area of Baranavichy or Biaroza for deploying the aviation base.