Olesya Vysotskaya.
The main celebrations were held today at the Minsk-City-Hero Stella. The military parade showed that the Belarusian army is mobile, well educated and armed. This was stressed by the President during the speech at the parade. The column of civil engineering equipment presented the strength and power of the army.
Thousands of spectators flocked from the very morning to Minsk-City-Hero Stella. The holiday events on Independence Day traditionally began at Pobeditelei Avenue, at the intersection of wide metropolitan avenues.
President Lukashenko started the ceremonial events.
The parade was led by the Defense Minister Lieutenant-General Andrei Ravkov and Deputy Ccommander of the Defense Ministry, Major-General Sergey Potapenko.
Belarus is an independent state that pursues a peaceful policy, President Alexander Lukashenko emphasized in a solemn speech. The unchanging principle of the Belarusian state is the equality of all states and their non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
The head of the state pointed to high combat readiness of the Belarusian army. It is modernized, mobile, well trained and armed. A significant contribution to improving the combat readiness of the army is made by the national defense-industrial complex. And today we can name more than a hundred samples of Belarusian military products, which are fundamentally new innovative products.
Belarus is proud of its army and is doing everything necessary to increase its fighting efficiency. The armed forces are equipped with modern military and special equipment, the latest technologies are being introduced into the command and control systems of the troops. This is clearly confirmed by the participants of the parade.
The parade is traditionally opened by the youngest participants - the drummers of Minsk Suvorov Military School.
The most spectacular is the demonstration of military equipment. Armored personnel carriers, highly maneuverable off-road vehicles, modern tanks. Belarus has something to show.
The column of civil engineering vehicles demonstrated the strength and power of Belarusian engineering. The procession was completed by an unusual ballet, with Belarus tractors spinning in classical dance.
