Sanctions Open new Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia: Belarusian President
New Delhi: Western sanctions have created new opportunities for Minsk and Moscow to boost cooperation, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Governor of Russia’s Leningrad region Alexander Drozdenko on Thursday.
“Western companies’ withdrawal from our common market is providing us with opportunities in all areas,” Lukashenko said, as quoted on his official website.
The Belarusian president believes that his country’s cooperation with the Leningrad region “can simply be described as a perfect example of how to cooperate.” “You always keep your word and follow every process through. This is what figures show,” Lukashenko emphasized.
In particular, he specified that trade between Belarus and the Leningrad region had exceeded $700 mln in 2021. “It is a very high level,” the Belarusian president noted.
However, Russia has sent 2S3M Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers to Belarus under the 2022 contract after their major repairs.
“As part of fulfilling two 2022 contracts, Uraltransmash has sent 2S3M Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers to the Republic of Belarus after their major repairs,” a media report said.
Uraltransmash carries out major repairs of 2S3M guns and upgrades Akatsiya howitzers to the 2S3M level, it said.
2S3 Akatsiya howitzers were accepted for service in 1972. In 1975, they were upgraded to the 2S3M level. 152mm Akatsiya howitzers are designed to suppress and eliminate enemy manpower, artillery and mortar batteries, rocket systems, tanks, firepower, command posts, and tactical nuclear weapons.
(Vinayak)
