Belarusian Officer: Sobering-Up Centres Follow Training Camps

Alcomarathon from Khrenin.

The new government decree changes the current order of military and special training camps. The list of those sent there has been extended. The changes will also affect the frequency and duration of training camps, while the KGB will be responsible for the process.

Charter97.org asked a reserve officer, on condition of anonymity, what will change for Belarusians now:

- It's just a waste of time. I haven't heard of anyone doing anything useful in these training camps. As far as I know, the story of the Wagner instructors didn't change anything. Eventually they gave up on our soldiers.

All these excursions the media write about end in drunkenness. Grown men are hard without their wives, the commanders do not care about these people. Yes, there is propaganda, especially for officers, but it does not teach any practical skills.

30 days is a long time. Now it will be 60, and the frequency of training camps will increase. Officers have nothing to teach those who are sent to the training camp. They'll shoot three times, run around, dig a trench, bury it, put on tourniquets - that's where the commander's imagination ends.

It is also a bad "headache" for the people. They all have families, jobs, and they will be taken away for this "zarnitsa".

- How will people react?

- In every possible way. Imagine, after the military department at the university, many people got officer ranks, went to work and held serious positions.

Now they are increasing the number of officer training courses to five. I think people will run to "hospitals" and think of something to avoid this nonsense. They will play hide and seek with military commissions. Bribery will start: alcohol, boxes of chocolates.

I think some of those who will be in this 60-day party will be taken to sobering up centres after the training camp. And some of them will have kidney problems. Such an alcohol marathon by Khrenin.

- The KGB will now be in charge of the training camp. Why is this necessary?

- An attempt to restore some discipline. The soldiers don't like the KGB and vice versa. They'll spy on each other, they'll control each other. But I just don't see how it's going to be implemented. Will they put a supervisor everywhere?

I think there is also a question of mistrust of the new Wagner instructors. Lukashenka is obviously afraid that they will not be supervised. That's why they want to put them under supervision.

To sum up - nothing serious will come out of this in terms of training and combat effectiveness. There will be drunkenness, fights, absenteeism, corruption.

But the signal itself is very alarming. Belarusian society is gradually being militarised, forced to get used to the idea that anyone can be shot at any time. It makes us think.

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