Belarus sends military equipment to aid depleted Russian forces

Aleksandr Lukashenko has ordered the transfer of some equipment from Belarusian military units to the Russian army, according to the Militarny portal. This decision follows an "urgent request from the Russian side" due to equipment losses and shortages affecting Moscow, including in regions like Kursk.

Recently, the image of the Russian army as lacking sufficient equipment has become increasingly clear. Anonymous European intelligence sources have reported the potential transfer of hundreds of ballistic missiles from Iran to the Russian Federation, with a range of 75 miles. Additionally, it is known that Russians are acquiring weapons from North Korea, including KN-23 ammunition.

Belarus has been supporting Putin's army by sending ammunition and military equipment from its warehouses to the front since 2022. The cooperation between Moscow and Minsk continues, resulting in another weapons transfer to aid Russia. According to Militarny, Belarus is now sending equipment not from warehouses, but from combat units.

Analysts indicate that the transfer of actively used weapons by Belarusian troops may suggest that in 2022-2023, Minsk has emptied its military warehouses and currently only has weapons that are actively serving in its units.

It is also noteworthy that Belarus does not produce its own combat armored vehicles. This means that the equipment transferred at the request of the Russian Federation constitutes a "long-term limitation of the material potential of Belarusian mechanized forces."

The Belarusian authorities have not specified how much or what type of equipment will be sent to Russia. However, the list of probable units is relatively short. The Belarusian armed forces are not a large army with a wide range of equipment. In the Global Firepower ranking (2021), the Belarusian army ranked 50th. Its arsenal relies primarily on Soviet or Russian-made equipment. The land forces possess, among others, T-72 and T-80 tanks, BMP-1 and BMP-2 vehicles, BTR-60, BTR-70, BTR-80 vehicles, BM-21 Grad, BM-30 Smerch, and Polonez rocket launchers, as well as 2S3 Akatsiya and 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers.

Among the mentioned equipment, the T-72, which may be on the list of items recently sent from Belarus to Russia (considering the recent transfer of these vehicles to the border with Ukraine), is notable. The T-72’s serial production began in 1973, and it has undergone numerous modernizations over the years. The T-72B3 version, with a new Sosna-U sight and improved reactive armor, stands out. Equipped with a 125 mm 2A46M cannon and 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, the T-72 can pose a significant threat to opponents on the front.

Belarus's arsenal also includes Soviet-era BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, which are also common in the Russian Federation's army. This equipment mainly serves to transport soldiers, accommodating a 10-person crew. However, dating back to the 1960s, its offensive and defensive capabilities do not meet modern standards. Its steel armor, a UTD20S1 engine that accelerates the vehicle to 40 mph, and a 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannon do not guarantee safety on the front line.