Ground Forces
Up to 1992 the Red Banner Belorussian Military District contained the 5th Guard Tank Army, the 7th Tank Rrmy, the 28th Army, the 120the Guard Motorized Rifle Division, the 51st Guards Artillery Division, the 72-1 Guard united Training Center, and also elements of combat, rear and technical support. On the territory of republic, besides troops of region, the parts subordinate to So-called Central authority were located.
In 1994 Belarus had ground forces of 52,500, organized into three corps headquarters, two motor divisions, one airborne division, one artillery division, three mechanized divisions, one airborne brigade, three surface-to-surface missile brigades, two antitank brigades, one special duties brigade, and seven surfaceto -air missile brigades. Equipment included 3,108 main battle tanks (seventy-nine T-54, 639 T-55, 291 T-62, 299 T-64, eight T80 , and 1,800 T-72), 419 medium-range launchers, sixty surfaceto -surface missiles, and 350 surface-to-air missiles. On 17 July, 1992, the army had available 3457 tanks, 3824 combat armored vehicles, 1562 artillery pieces, 390 combat aircraft, and 79 assault helicopters. In accordance with the agreement about the armed forces in Europe and the accepted in its development lawful successors of the USSR on 15 May 1992, in Tashkent " by agreement about the principles and order of performance of the agreement about the usual armed forces in Europe ", " by protocol about the maximum levels for the presence of conventional armaments and of Azerbaijan republic, republic of Armenia, of republic technique Belarus', republics Kazakhstan, the republics Of moldova, Russian federation, Ukraine and republic Georgia in connection with the agreement about the usual armed forces in Europe ", Belarus agreed to have 1800 tanks, 2600 combat armored vehicles, 1615 artillery pieces, 260 combat aircraft, 80 assault helicopters. In other words, for republic it was in prospect to get rid from 1773 combat tanks, 1441 combat armored vehicle, 130 combat aircraft. This reduction was realized at the beginning of 1996.
In essence the process of the structural reformation of the army was concluded to the same time: general military and tank armies were converted into the army corps, motorized rifle and tank division into the individual mechanized brigades, and their bases of storage of armament and technology, airborne division and individual airborne brigade - by the mobile forces, which consist of three mobile brigades, air divisions and air bases.
By January 1, 1995, the order of battle for the Belarusian army had changed. Ministry of Defense forces included the 103d Guards Air Assault Division and the 38th Separate Assault-Landing Brigade; the 28th Army Corps (Hrodna and Brest regions), composed of headquarters at Hrodna, the 6th Detached Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the 11th Detached Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the 50th Detached Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the Armament and Equipment base, and corps units (missile troops, antiaircraft, chemical and engineer troops, signals, and rear services); the 65th Army Corps (Minsk and Vitsyebsk regions), composed of headquarters at Barysaw, three armament and equipment bases, and corps units; and the 5th Guards Army Corps (Minsk and Mahilyow regions) made up of headquarters at Babruysk, the 30th Detached Mechanized Infantry Brigade, two Armament and Equipment bases, and corps units.
In early 1995, the armed forces were in the midst of adopting five main reforms. The first was a gradual move toward a goal of 50 percent professional soldiers. By mid-1995 there were 22,000 professional soldiers on contracts of five years or longer and another 9,000 soldiers on contracts of two to five years. These accounted for 32 percent of the uniformed establishment.
The second reform is to redivide the country into military territorial districts whose district commanders will be part of the structure of local government. The Ministry of Defense hopes that after implementing this system, recruits will be able to serve closer to home and that draft avoidance will decline.
The third reform is to create a mobile operational force. Such a force would likely be composed of three brigades: airmobile, helimobile, and airborne/special forces.
The fourth reform is the adoption of a new structure to permit maximum flexibility. The army's new post-Soviet structure, built on corps and brigades, suits Belarus's needs better than the Soviet-era divisions.
Last is the army's increased role in internal security. According to a presidential decree of January 1, 1995, entitled "On Reinforcing the Fight Against Crime," troops have been transferred from the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Interior. Belarus's Border Guards are under the control of the Ministry of Interior. They numbered 8,000 in early 1995.
To the command of ground forces, besides the tasks of maintenance at the necessary level of combat readiness and combat efficiency, is entrusted also the function of management of preparation and of conducting territorial defense. Bobruysk city became the place for the location of the command of ground forces. Western and North Western operational commands were created on the base 28- GO and 65- GO of army corps. This began the work on the reorganization of 120-1 guard motorized rifle division into the individual mechanized brigade and the base of storage of armament and technology. The process of the disbandment of 350-1 guard individual mobile brigade was completed. This made it possible to complete by commissioned personnel the 38th and 317th Guard Individual Mobile Brigades.
"Dedovshchina" -- the practice of hazing new recruits through beatings and other forms of physical and psychological abuse -- reportedly continues. According to statistics released by the regime, in the first 5 months of 2001, there were 30 reported cases. The authorities blocked efforts by family members and human rights monitors to investigate these and other reports of Dedovshchina.
