MINSK. Feb 17 (Interfax) - Belarus will ask Russia to open a center to train operators of Iskander short-range missile systems, the Belarusian state-run news agency BelTA quoted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as saying after he watched the Union Resolve 2022 exercise of Russia and Belarus at the Osipovichsky range on Thursday.
There is an agreement with Russia to open several centers in Belarus for training operators of modern weapon systems, Lukashenko said.
"Our army is on the frontline, so it needs cutting-edge weapons. We will either buy them or Russians will supply something at their own expense, considering that this is a common army," he said.
Three training centers have been established, and there are plans to open another one where Russian specialists will be training Belarusian operators of Iskander systems, Lukashenko said.
"This is a good weapon. Should we learn how to operate it? We should. We will be buying this weapon from the Russian Federation. That's why I will ask that there be a fourth center, for Iskander systems, so that we can master this equipment as well," he said.
Belarus is also interested in training its sailors in Kaliningrad or in Murmansk before they are assigned to joint units, Lukashenko said.