August M
When a smaller nation sits right next to a global superpower, its independent factories often get swallowed up by a larger neighbor’s ambitions.
Peacetime production lines can quietly shift toward building tools of war when outside money starts pouring across the border. Now, a watchgroup has exposed a deep integration, reports Digi24.ro.
Building for Moscow
Belarus is rapidly expanding its military infrastructure to serve the specific needs of the Russian armed forces. According to a report by Digi24.ro, a representative from the monitoring organization BelPol revealed the scale of this quiet industrial takeover during a recent security meeting in Kyiv.
The website The Odessa Journal reported that more than 500 Belarusian companies are currently churning out military goods for Russia. This massive manufacturing push relies heavily on direct financial backing from Moscow.
Some of these facilities are even being built completely from scratch. BelPol representative Vladimir Jigar explained that these new plants focus entirely on meeting specific Russian defense requirements. Once the goods leave the factory floor, they head straight into combat zones.
Shells and rockets
One major example of this massive industrial expansion is a brand-new ammunition factory in the Slutsk region. According to Jigar, the full-cycle plant will open by the end of the year.
Operating on a strict two-shift schedule, workers at the site will pump out heavy artillery shells and rockets. The massive facility will churn out 240,000 units annually. This output is split evenly between 122mm and 152mm calibers.
Interestingly, the factory sits on the grounds of old military warehouses that were destroyed back in 1996. Jigar noted that it is entirely obvious where these new munitions will go.
Speeding up production
This industrial shift goes far beyond basic ammunition. The country’s factories are also fixing damaged military gear and constructing advanced drone systems to help sustain Russian operations.
BelPol operates as an independent group made up of former security service workers who now investigate human rights abuses. Their latest findings show that the weaponization of the Belarusian economy is moving faster than ever.
Sources: Digi24.ro, The Odessa Journal
