Armed Forces of Belarus
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian: Узброеныя сілы Рэспублікі Беларусь [УС РБ], romanized: Uzbrojenyja sily Respubliki Bielaruś [US RB]; Russian: Вооруженные силы Республики Беларусь, romanized: Vooruzhennyye sily Respubliki Belarus) are the military forces of Belarus. It consists of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence. As a landlocked country, Belarus has no navy, however the Belarusian military does have control over some small Soviet inherited naval vessels in its rivers and lakes.
| Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus | |
|---|---|
| Узброеныя сілы Рэспублікі Беларусь (Belarusian) Вооружённые силы Республики Беларусь (Russian) | |
Emblem of the Belarusian defense ministry | |
Flag | |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Service branches | Ground Forces Air Force Special Forces of Belarus Transport Troops Territorial Troops |
| Headquarters | Defense Ministry, Minsk, Belarus |
| Website | www |
| Leadership | |
| President | Alexander Lukashenko |
| Minister of Defense | Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin |
| Chief of the General Staff | Major General Viktor Gulevich |
| Personnel | |
| Conscription | Yes |
| Active personnel | 63,000 |
| Reserve personnel | 365,400(2021) |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | US$0.880 billion (2022) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.2% (2022) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Belarusian Plant of Precision Electromechanic Kalashnikov |
| Foreign suppliers | Russia China Iran |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Belarus |
In 2017, IISS estimated that personnel in the armed forces numbered 49,000, and nearly 350,000 reserves. Most soldiers are conscripts serving for a period of 18 months, although there is an alternative service option. The Belarusian military still holds many Soviet military laws and holds high numbers of reserve personnels as a high priority.
Belarus conducted military reforms in the early 2000s which reshaped its armed forces as a relatively effective force for a small state in somewhat difficult economic conditions.