MINSK. Feb 20 (Interfax) - The militia in Belarus may number over 100,000-150,000 people, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Monday.
"We have made calculations, the number will be from 100,000 to 150,000 people nationwide, who can be involved. But these are volunteers, there may be more of them," the SB. Belarus Segodnya state media outlet quoted Khrenin as saying.
Militia groups will be especially needed in rural areas, but they may appear in Minsk as well, the minister said. "It will be as the chairman of the Minsk city executive committee decides," he said.
"There [in rural areas] is a need for people who will help local authorities maintain order in the period of martial law. When the activities of various sabotage groups, rampant crime, and looting are not ruled out [...] Anything can happen," Khrenin said.
"We are looking at how the conflict in the south [in Ukraine] is happening, and we see that we need such people, such an organism, in addition to the system to ensure the defense capability of our country," the defense minister said.