Lukashnko Sold Arms Worth $1bln - the Money Is Gone :: Charter'97 :: News

Representative of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense told Wednesday the Russian Agency of military news that "Belarus earned around $1bln., trading in weaponry, ammunition and machinery over the period 1994-2000."

The unnamed state official added that Belarus is on the list of ten greatest arms exporters in the world. Belarusian chief arms seller is the state enterprise "Belvneshpromservice", which is also engaged in equipment modernization, according to the orders from abroad.

In particular, reports AMN, the company has launched serious modernization of tanks T-72, equipped with extra armor, special optic gauges, etc. Director of the "Belvneshpromservice" Alexander Andron says that this helped them increase the trade turnover of tanks.

Recently the authorities handed over to "Belvneshpromservice" a military compound Stepyanka in Minsk outskirts. A few buildings on that site are now being restructured into workshops to fix artillery. They are even constructing a special exhibition center and hotel there. Andron claims that these plans were approved by Alexander Lukashenko himself.