Chief of the General Staff of Belarus Pavel Muraveiko believes the current situation around the republic is even more tense than it was in June 1941, on the eve of the Great Patriotic War.

He pointed out that, compared with that period, many countries have advanced significantly in economic and intellectual terms, and their weapons have become far more sophisticated. For that reason, he argued, the factors that shaped the nature of war in 1941 are no longer decisive today.

Muraveiko said that today the atmosphere is dominated by mutual, often unclear grievances and by a sanctions policy that, in his view, will not lead to anything positive in the foreseeable future. He also maintains that the countries of the so-called collective West are effectively preparing for war, citing revanchist statements by Western politicians and active modernization across the entire spectrum of armaments as evidence of this course. At the same time, he expressed confidence that this process can still be halted through negotiations, though he noted that common sense does not yet prevail in Europe.

Speaking about the presence of nuclear weapons in Belarus and plans to deploy the Oreshnik missile system, Muraveiko described these capabilities as deterrence tools. He reminded that such weapons possess enormous destructive power and stressed that anyone considering an attack on the republic should first think carefully about the possible response.