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The Su-30 Deal

During a June 2005 visit to the 927th Fighter Airbase in Beryoza, President Lukashenko announced that Russian SU-30 multi-function fighter jets would be added to Belarus' armed forces in the future to counter NATO's encroachment towards its borders.

According to the 03 February 2006 edition of the Moscow financial daily newspaper Vedomosti, Belarus planned to buy 18 Russian-made Sukhoi SU-30K fighters from India for USD 300 million. The fighters, reported to have limited capabilities, were sold by Russia to the Indian Air Force in 1997-98 for USD 4.9 billion for the development of multi-function SU-30MKI fighters. Belarus, with the help of Russian Avionics (a subsidiary of the Irkut Corporation), planned to upgrade the SU-30k jets to the SU-KN. According to Vedomosti, sources in the aviation industry and Russian air force confirmed Belarus' plans. Belarus' Ministry of Defense on February 6 denied media reports that Belarus planned to purchase the fighters and Air Force Chief and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Levitsky claimed to have never heard of the deal.

In February 2006 a number of Indian and Russian press sources announced that Belarus was intending to buy 18 used Sukhoi SU-30 aircraft from India. According to these press reports, India acquired a number of SU-30K fighters in 1997-1998, but is now modernizing its air force. Belarus therefore intends to purchase 18 of these fighters and upgrade them inside Belarus to SU-30KN's, largely as a counter to Poland's recent purchase of F-16s. According to Indian journal India Defence, Belarus was paying USD 300 million for this deal, just under USD 17 million per aircraft. Russian paper Vedomosti reported that Russian firm Russkaya Avionika, a subsidiary of SU-30 manufacturer Irkut, would assist the GOB in modernizing the planes.

Belarusian Security Council's 2006-2015 rearmament plan did not allocate funds for such aircraft, even though in December Levitsky told the press Belarus would eventually buy SU-30s. However, in June 2005 while speaking to the staff of the 927th Fighter Base in Beryoza (upset about their redeployment to a new base), President Lukashenko attempted to mollify the airmen by promising that new aircraft would soon join Belarus' inventory. Lukashenko stated, "We are considering very attractive offers for purchasing SU-30 planes for our armed forces." On 24 February 2006, Lukashenko told students at the Suvorov Military Academy that Belarus was modernizing and re-equipping its air defense network. He stated, "We will invest and have already started investing big money there; we will reequip it." Lukashenko also admitted that Belarus might soon buy SU-30K fighters, "But this is not the most important for us, the air defense system is very important to us."

Speaking extemporaneously before the Third All Belarusian People's Congress on 03 March 2006, Lukashenko addressed rumors of massive Belarusian arms sales and explained how the Belarusian military acquires new equipment, outside the normal budget. Lukashenko told delegates that Belarus inherited large stockpiles of Soviet-era weaponry, which it has been selling since independence. He claimed that 50% of the proceeds of such sales go to the military for modernization and the other 50% are used to fund grandiose social projects, such as hockey arenas and the National Library. The Indian Embassy in Minsk claimed to know nothing at all about any aircraft sales, and dismissed the press reports as untrue. The news stories on Indian SU-30 sales to Belarus, along with Lukashenko's quasi-acknowledgement, were sufficiently detailed as to be credible.

Belarus and Russia have been looking for buyers for a batch of Su-30 aircraft, located at 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranavichy, that had previously been in service of Indian military. This was reported by first deputy director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of Russia Alexander Fomin on 16 May 2012. Belarus showed no interest in acquiring aircraft. Alexander Fomin also says that if the customer appears, these aircraft will be refurbished and modernized by his requirements. The project on the implementation of fighters involves FSMTC, Rosoboronexport, 558th Aircraft Repair Plant, Beltechexport and the manufacturer.

On 06 March 2007, Belarusian Security Council Spokesman Vladimir Nestsyarovich dismissed media speculation about planned sales of Russian military equipment to Syria and Iran via Belarus as "another attempt to discredit the country." Rumors of Belarus' possible involvement in sales of Russian weapons to the Middle East emerged in connection with the recent mysterious death of Russian newspaper "Kommersant" journalist Ivan Safronov in Moscow March 2. Despite official suspicions of suicide, his colleagues suspect that he was murdered for fear that he might disclose Russian plans to use Belarus to sell Su-30 fighters to Syria.