Belarus

As reported by the Belarusian organisation, International Center for Civil Initiatives “Our House”^[1]:

Conscientious objection to military service is a fundamental human right under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, Belarusian conscientious objectors face dire circumstances, including the introduction of the death penalty for desertion and tightening of legislation on military deferments. Only a limited segment of religious men qualifies for alternative civilian service, while many face criminal prosecution for refusing to join the army.

Seeking refuge in other countries is challenging, as Russia and Lithuania have been extraditing and deporting Belarusian conscientious objectors, citing national security concerns. In 2023, around 300 Belarusians were deported from Lithuania based on their past association with the Belarusian army. This situation highlights human rights violations and political manipulations against conscientious objectors. It is crucial to remember that conscientious objection to military service is a fundamental human right protected under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Human Rights Committee's General Comment No. 22 (1993) recognizes that using weapons may clash with this right to freedom of conscience and the right to express one's beliefs.

Furthermore, the report finds that the Belarusian regime is intensively training children as young as 6 for potential military actions, with a focus on orphans, children with special needs, and marginalised families. Over 18,000 children participated in military training in 2022, and this poses a long-term threat to Ukraine and potentially the European Union.

Belarusian conscientious objectors encounter considerable obstacles when seeking to legalise their status, both within Belarus and in other countries. As a result, exercising the right to conscientious objection for a Belarusian individual is nearly unattainable given the prevailing conditions. The lack of awareness on this issue contributes to their plight, warranting urgent attention to protect their rights.

Common repressive situation for conscientious objectors in Belarus: According to the law «On military duty and military service» in the Republic of Belarus, an appeal on fixed-term military service is subject to men aged between 18 and 27 years, who are registered or obliged to register in military records and not serving in the reserves. The Belarusian army today has 48,000 soldiers and 12,000 border guards.^[2]

Every young man in Belarus is obliged to serve in the Belarusian army if he has no medical contraindications or official deferment. People with higher education must serve for a year, without higher education – for a year and a half. The conscription into the army is conducted twice a year: in spring and in autumn. Every year about 10 thousand young men are called up to compulsory military service in Belarus.

Due to all the events related to the war, from the beginning of 2022 until today, on the one hand, the Belarusian authorities have been paying increased attention to conscription and increasing the number of conscripts (for example, by easing the medical requirements for military service). On the other hand, more and more Belarusians themselves are actively avoiding conscription and military service.

Article 435 of the Criminal Code of Belarus criminalises evading military service. Part 1 of this article stipulates a fine, arrest, restriction of liberty for up to two years or imprisonment for the same term. In the case of evading conscription by willfully inflicting oneself an injury, simulation of sickness, forgery of documents, or other deceit, Part 2 of the above-mentioned article applies. It carries a penalty of restriction of liberty for up to five years or imprisonment for the same period.

On the whole, the Criminal Code has several articles that stipulate criminal liability for evading military conscription: evasion from call-up to military service on the mobilisation (Art. 434), evasion of regular call-up to active military service (Art. 435), failure of a reservist or person liable for military service to appear for military training or special classes (Art. 436), avoidance of military registration by a conscript or person liable for military duty (Art. 437). The punishment is various: a fine, arrest, restriction of liberty for up to five years or imprisonment for the same term.

Overall, in Belarus, the number of criminal cases related to evasion of both conscription and military service is not publicised, as it is classified information.

Conscription is used as one of the frequent repressive practices of the Belarusian regime for young male protest activists.

The Belarusian army is often criticised for its harsh conditions and poor treatment of soldiers. Those who are conscripted serve for a year to a year and a half and have limited means of communication. There are reports of propaganda, torture, and prohibitions, and family visits are infrequent. For instance, if a soldier is caught with a mobile phone, they can face punishment that includes 15 days in solitary confinement. Sadly, the oppressive environment, humiliation, and abuse in the Belarusian army have in some cases stretched to extrajudicial executions, and have also led to a number of suicides.

What is the number of conscientious objectors in Belarus? "Our House" estimates that currently around 5000 young men in Belarus are trying to avoid military service.

We base this figure on information from state media, particularly from an interview with Vladimir Osipov, the head of the conscription department at the military enlistment office of Rechitsa and Loyev districts. He stated the following, "According to the plan for Rechitsa district, we need to call up about two hundred people, and we already have around a hundred. Additionally, approximately seventy people are undergoing medical examination. Considering that the medical criteria have changed, the percentage of fitness for service has increased from about forty to eighty. There is a concept of 'suitable for military service with some restrictions', which means that, for example, a person with flat feet can serve as a driver, signalman – in positions where legs are not heavily used. Currently, we have just over twenty people who are being sought for an extended period, and one person who is hiding on the territory of the Russian Federation."

We have information that a similar situation with Belarusian conscientious objectors exists in all districts. There are 118 districts in Belarus. If each district has an average of more than 20 draft evaders, then we already have at least 2500 people. Moreover, in the capital and regional centres, there are traditionally many more individuals who are unwilling to serve in the army than in the provinces. So, confidently, we can double the previous figure. In total, there are approximately 5000 draft evaders in Belarus. It is also important to flag that not all draft evaders are conscientious objectors but in a situation where there is not effective access to an alternative civilian service many will be.

It is worth highlighting such a repressive practice as a public show trial of "draft evaders" – traditionally, public trials are conducted for Belarusian conscientious objectors, to which teenagers of draft age are forcibly brought along with their parents and potential objectors.

For Belarusian conscientious objectors, there is also a legislative prohibition on employment – employers are not allowed to hire a man without him presenting a military identity card or a document stating his exemption from military service.^[3]

Relaxation of health requirements for conscription: On January 20, 2023, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus claimed that the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Public Health were working on corrections of health requirements for people supposed to join military service and the list of health conditions making people considered unfit for military service. The corrections will affect all the military categories: conscripts, contract soldiers, reservists, students of military higher educational establishments.

– It was motivated by a number of reasons. First of all, by the great number of petitions arriving from citizens who consider that the health demands are too high and they do not allow young people make their dream to become a military man true, – claimed the Deputy Chief of Medical Unit of the Main Military Medical Clinical Centre of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Sviatlana Kashura.

On February 4, 2023, a joint resolution of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Public Health was published^[4] and entered into force, making amendments to the instruction of determining requirements to the state of health of citizens subject to military duty.^[5]

People’s militia: On February 20, 2023, Aliaksandr Lukashenka held a Security Council meeting.^[6] One of the documents submitted for consideration by the Security Council was the draft law «On People’s Militia».

Lukashenka explained that an effective national defence system had been built in Belarus, and the basis of it is the army. Fight with crime, defence of public order and public security are the sphere of interest of the Ministry of Internal Affairs both in peace and in war time. In order to ensure the functioning of the state bodies, organisations, economic entities, and infrastructure of Belarus in wartime, territorial troops have been created.

«Yet, the situation is not simple. I have already said multiple times: every man (and not only man) should at least know how to handle weapons. At least, to protect his family, his house, his native corner of land in case of necessity and, if needed, his country, as without it there will be no corner, no house, nothing else. Many understand that», Lukashenka underlined.

The Defense Minister, Viktor Khrenin, said that the main task of the people’s militia will be defence of their local area and law enforcement together with the police.^[7] The draft law «On People’s Militia» was elaborated by the Ministry of Defence together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The draft law provides that the composition, number and tasks of the people’s militia will be defined by local authorities.

According to the law, volunteers that join the people’s militia, will be placed at their place of residence and carry out their work tasks.

On February 25, 2023, the Chairman of the Security Council, Alexander Volfovich, informed that participants of the people’s militia will possess fire arms and keep them at home.^[8] That is provided by the draft law «On People’s Militia» discussed with the participation of Lukashenka.

The people’s militia is going to be organised by the local authorities and led by units of internal affairs. In case of martial law, the tasks of the militia will be to defend order, fight banditism and marauding, sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

He added that eople will serve in the people’s militia on a voluntary basis, without being dismissed from their jobs. On the decision of their employer, they are going to be released from work for the time of performing their duties in the militia squads. At the same time, they are going to keep the salary.

Service in the people’s militia does not exempt a citizen from military service: if needed, those who are fit can be subject to mobilisation to the army. On the contrary, on March 3, 2023, Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov said in an interview that those people, who could not be recruited for certain reasons in the armed forces, would be “conscripted” into the people's volunteer army.

“Who will be drafted into the people's volunteer army? These will be people who cannot be mobilised for certain reasons. These will be people who have reached the age of retirement, but they'll be ready to defend their homeland, ready to protect their homes and families. It doesn’t matter if it’s a woman or a man. Women, by the way, are sometimes with more combative nature than men," Kubrakov said.^[9]

On May 4, 2023, independent mass media found out that people’s militia units, actively created by the rulers of Belarus, are indeed created illegally: there is just no corresponding legislation in the country.^[10]

On March 9, 2023, Alexander Lukashenko approved a draft law on the People's Volunteer Corps, which established "the legal basis for the voluntary citizen participation in the enforcement of martial law". It was stated in the Security Council Resolution No. 2, which was published on the National Legal Internet Portal on March 6. The Minister of Defense, Viktor Khrenin, has to prepare amendments and recommendations within a month and send this draft law to the various instances for final approval by the relevant agencies. According to Lukashenko's plans, the size of the people's volunteer army will be between 100-150 thousand.

On April 12, 2023, the Secretary of the Security Council, Alexander Volfovich, announced that the people's militias in Belarus would be responsible for tasks related to the introduction of martial law, as well as combating sabotage and reconnaissance groups.^[11]

On June 15, 2023, the House of Representatives approved in the second reading the bill on people's militia. According to the statement of Deputy Yevgeny Zaytsev, the bill will allow volunteers to keep weapons with them.^[12]

Amendments to the Criminal Code: On February 21, 2023, the deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly approved amendments to the Criminal Code, including criminal liability for discrediting the army and the death penalty for high treason. Before that, a draft law had been adopted "On Amendments to the Criminal Code". The objective of preparing the draft law was to take proactive measures against offences of extremist or terrorist character by introducing amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Mentioning "offences of extremist or terrorist character" directly indicates trying to suppress any contacts between human rights defenders, media, and members of the armed forces, threatening the latter with the probability of the death penalty.

The press service of the House of Representatives indicated that the draft law "On the amendment of criminal codes" was needed to produce a "deterrent effect on destructive elements" (the term used by the Belarusian's propaganda to refer to human rights defenders and independent media in exile) and "to demonstrate a decisive fight against high treason".

The Article 369-1 of the Criminal Code is supplemented by a qualifying factor providing for the «establishment of responsibility for dissemination of knowingly false information discrediting the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations, paramilitary organisations of the Republic of Belarus».

Also, new articles have been added, including Article 289-1 "Propaganda of terrorism" (which is typically used to label the dissemination of any information about the activities of human rights organisations and independent media in exile that it has deemed "extremist"), and Article 375-2 "Violation of requirements for the protection of state secrets". Now, law enforcement officials have the right to detain individuals suspected of high treason, conspiracy, espionage, agent activity, or acts of terrorism under Articles 356-358-1 of the Criminal Code for a period of 20 days from the moment of arrest. However, Article 125 of the Criminal Code was amended with a corresponding note that releases individuals from criminal liability if they participated in the preparation of an attack on an institution under international protection (meaning foreign embassies in Belarus) and assisted in preventing the crime by timely warning the state bodies or by other means.

Besides that, the Criminal Code was supplemented by Article 375-2 "Violation of the requirements for the protection of state secrets". In simpler terms, this means that there is criminal liability for providing any help to a serviceman attempting to escape from the army and leave the country. Providing such a help to a deserter fleeing Belarus and going abroad could result in up to 5 years of imprisonment.

On March 14, 2023, the law "On Amendments to the Codes on Criminal Liability" was published on the National Legal Internet Portal of Belarus.^[13] The amendments to the criminal liability codes, which include the death penalty for officials and military personnel convicted of state treason, as well as criminal liability for terrorism propaganda and discrediting the army, will come into effect from March 25, 2023.

Criminal liability for "state treason" committed by a public official extends to all individuals holding government positions. Moreover, for "state treason" committed by a public official or military serviceman, the possibility of imposing the exceptional punishment of the death penalty is introduced.

The detention period for individuals suspected of committing state treason, conspiracy, or other actions aimed at seizing state power, espionage, and clandestine activities is increased from three to ten days.

Reserve officers: on March 10, 2023, Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 66 'On сall-up of reserve officers for active duty'.^[14] The document assumes conscription of up to 230 men under the age of 27 into the armed forces and call-up of up to 20 persons into bodies of the border service. By implication, all conscripts must have previously been trained in appropriate training programmes for reserve officers at military departments or faculties, received a commission as an officer and be enlisted in the reserve.

New conscription procedures: on April 3, 2023 on the Alexander Lukashenko’s order, the Ministry of Defense began another check readiness of the Belarussian Armed Forces. The overall supervision for checking was entrusted to the State Secretariat of the Belarusian Security Council. Conscripts were supposed to start arriving at military registration and enlistment offices in Belarus on April 4, 2023. However, in some places, such as Brest, military services reported that they hadn't had enough time to prepare properly and send out summonses. As a result, men who had not served and were in the reserve were sent to deliver the summonses instead. These men were "invited" to make such urgent deliveries to military recruitment offices instead of their main jobs. Those who tried to refuse were threatened that they would face pressure and would be fired from their jobs.^[15]

On April 10, 2023, Alexander Volfovich, the State Secretary of the Belarussian Security Council, stated during a meeting with the heads of higher education institutions that he considered it expedient to return to the practice of conscripting students into the army.^[16]

On May 16, 2023, amendments to the law "On military duty and military service" were published in Belarus. It was amended and received the status of a law. The most important amendment that has been made is that studying abroad is no longer considered to be a ground for deferment from military duty.

Only those students who are studying abroad by the assignment of the republican government bodies in the framework of implementation of state programs shall be granted such a deferment. However, there are exceptions: the deferment can be obtained if on the date of entering this law into force the student was studying in a foreign educational establishment in an intramural form of study and had entered those educational establishments before the age of 18.

The law also stipulates that in case several citizens in one family are subject to call-up for compulsory military service, service in the reserves and have a right to deferral, it can be “granted to one of them according to the request of the family members (relatives)”.

On May 31, 2023, the Belarussian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced that basic military training would be provided to all students in Belarusian universities. According to his words, a joint document with the Ministry of Education has already been adopted for this purpose, and hours have been allocated for the study of the special course.

On June 21, 2023, the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, Alexander Volfovich, announced that Belarus was considering the cancellation of military service deferment for students.^[17]

According to him, when a first-year student is called up to the armed forces, "He will serve for one year instead of a year and a half, return to the second year more mature and better prepared, and after four years of graduating from the institute, he won't have to rack his brain whether to join the armed forces or not."

Martial law and state of emergency: on June 8, 2023, a parliamentary bill was published on the National Legal Internet portal, according to which armed rebellion in Belarus will become a reason to introduce a state of emergency, and the infiltration of armed groups by extremist organisations from other countries' territories will lead to the imposition of martial law.^[18]

The bill proposes amendments to the law on the state of emergency. Whereas previously the state of emergency regime could be introduced because of "riots", in the future, the grounds may include "attempts of forcibly changing the constitutional order, seizure or appropriation of state power, armed rebellion, mass and other disturbances."

The draft law also includes amendments to the law on martial law. Mention of extremist groups and organisations is added as a basis for imposing martial law. The amendments also provide that "in case of inaction by the President of the Republic of Belarus" the state of emergency or martial law can be imposed by the National People's Assembly.

The bill has already been submitted to the parliament. It must be passed in the House of Representatives and then approved in the Council of the Republic, after which it will be sent for Alexander Lukashenko's signature.

Military collaboration with the Russian Federation: on May 12, 2023, Aliaksandr Lukashenka signed a law on ratification of the agreement with the Russian Federation on the implementation of the Program of Military-Technical Cooperation until the year 2025.^[19] The agreement had been concluded on September 23, 2022. Then it was approved by both chambers of the Belarusian parliament.

The document officially gives effect to the program of military and technical cooperation. Within its framework, reciprocal deliveries of arms and equipment between Belarus and Russia were established, as well as joint projects of the Defence industries, development and production of armament, military equipment, dual-use and special-purpose goods. In total, the program consists of 199 activities.

On June 28, 2023, Belarusian deputies adopted on the first reading^[20] the draft law "On Ratifying the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on the Establishment and Operation of Joint Training and Combat Centers for Military Personnel of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation."

Criminal prosecution of Belarusian conscientious objectors in Belarus (selected cases):

On 10 March 2023, the Military Commissariat of Brest and the Brest region organised a mobile court session for trying an 18-year-old boy who refused to serve in the Belarusian army.^[21] The defendant failed a medical examination without a valid reason and did not appear at the military registration and enlistment office on the date specified in the summons.

During the trial he admitted his guilt in full, explaining that he “did not want to go to the army because he was afraid of being sent to the war”. The court found the defendant’s fear unconvincing and sentenced the young man to a fine of 60 basic units (2,220 rubles). This court session was also used by the authorities both for propaganda purposes and to intimidate young people: high schoolers and draft-age youths from local schools were gathered for it.

On 13 March 2023, the Hrodna Regional Court started hearing the case against 19-year-old Anita Bakunovich, former customs officer Mikalai Kuleshou and army evader Yehor Kurzin.^[22] All of them were detained near the Lithuanian fence while trying to cross the border illegally. Yehor Kurzin was accused of illegal border crossing as well as draft evasion.On 10 April 2023, a mobile court session was held at the military enlistment office of Rechytsa and Loyev districts. Students from local schools were forcibly brought along with their parents, as well as young individuals who are expected to serve in the army. Such public trials related to Article 435 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (evasion of military service) are becoming increasingly common in Belarus, as the unwillingness to join the army becomes widespread in the country.

The court tried a native of Vasilevichi town, who left for Russia as soon as he received a summons to the army. He was arrested in Russia, and there he was offered to voluntarily appear at the Rechitsa District Internal Affairs Department, which had declared him wanted as an evader. The young man ignored this order, and after many peripeteias, K. was taken into custody and sent to his place of residence in Belarus. Since October 2022, he had been in Belarus in the pre-trial detention centre, awaiting a court hearing.

Article 435 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus entails severe sanctions, including up to two years of imprisonment. The state prosecutor demanded one year of imprisonment, taking into account five months already served in pre-trial detention, with each day counting as one and a half days. However, the court delivered a different verdict: three months of arrest. In practice, the defendant K. had already served these three months, and he was consequently released in the courtroom. As noted by state lawyers, it is likely that his criminal record will be expunged after a year, and K. will be attempted to be conscripted for military service again.

In April 2022, a young Belarusian man (currently 23 years old) received a personal summons at the Stolin district military enlistment office and signed for it. The summons demanded him to appear on August 19, 2022, for the enlistment process and to undergo a medical examination for compulsory military service. The young conscientious objector fled to Russia. In November 2022, he decided that the risk of conscription was no longer imminent, returned home, and was detained by the police. He was charged with "evading conscription measures" (Article 435, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus). The case was handled by the Brest Oblast Prosecutor's Office.

On May 10, 2023, a public trial was held, to which teenage boys of draft age, their parents, and potential conscientious objectors were forcibly brought. The young man was found guilty of draft evasion and was sentenced to a fine of 70 base units (2590 Belarusian rubles or 930 euros).

On 10 May 2023, a resident of Dzerzhinsk was sentenced to one month of arrest for draft evasion. In November 2022, a 19-year-old resident of Dzerzhinsk, after receiving a summons for draft activities and signing it, failed to arrive at the military enlistment office. At the same time, authorities repeatedly warned him of criminal liability for evasion of military conscription. During interrogations, the young man claimed that he had not evaded conscription, but failed to appear at the military enlistment office due to serious deterioration of his health, although this was not substantiated by any documents. As a result, the young man was sentenced to one month of arrest.

On 6 July 2023, in Lida (Grodno Region), a 28-year-old man was sentenced to 1.5 years of imprisonment for evasion from the army although in Belarus, individuals can be called for compulsory military service only until the age of 27.

The essence of the case is that the resident of Lida (his name is not disclosed) received a summons for a medical examination in the district military enlistment office in August 2021, for further processing by the conscription commission. At that time, he was 26 years old. The young man fled to Russia, where he was apprehended in January 2023, after that he was extradited to Belarus and imprisoned for evasion.

On 7 July 2023, according to reports there was the trial of a young man in Chashniki, who, after receiving a military conscription notice and passing a medical examination, was declared fit for military service but fled to Russia. In Russia, he was apprehended and extradited to Belarus, where the court found him guilty of evading military service under Part 1, Article 435 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. The court imposed a one-year imprisonment with a conditional suspension of the sentence, provided that the citizen does not commit any new crimes during the probation period and fulfils the obligations imposed by the court. Specifically, in accordance with Part 5, Article 78 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, he was obligated to pay a criminal compensation to the state in the amount of 35 basic units, totaling 1120 Belarusian rubles (approximately 400 euros).

However, it is now unclear when and how he will be enlisted in the military service. He has an outstanding criminal record, which theoretically should exempt him from being called up for military service.

Pre-military training of boys in Belarus for compulsory military service: The militarisation of boys in Belarus starts long before their conscription into military service, involving several structures such as schools, institutes, and various state "military-patriotic" clubs.

From the age of 14, the Ministry of Defence of Belarus begins to summon Belarusian teenage boys to military enlistment offices "to verify personal data". From this age, it becomes much more difficult for teenage boys to travel abroad: there is no direct ban, but obtaining a passport for travel abroad can be challenging.

Moreover, there have been numerous cases recorded where a teenager (a citizen of Belarus) aged 14 to 17 permanently resides abroad but, due to personal reasons, visits Belarus. Once in Belarus, one is not allowed to leave the country until he completes mandatory military service or is discharged for valid reasons.

In schools, senior school pupils are required to study pre-conscription training as a compulsory subject, including both boys and girls undergoing a course of military medical training. Since September 1, 2021, the position of a leader for military-patriotic education, commonly known as the "military instructor" from the times of the USSR, has been reintroduced in Belarusian schools. As of March 2023, Belarusian schools have filled 93% of the military instructor positions.

The tasks and responsibilities of the military instructor include organising and conducting thematic classes, caring for World War II veterans, improving burial grounds and military graves, studying the history of military units and formations, partisan detachments and underground groups during the Great World War in the regions where schools are located, organising schoolchildren's trips to the sites of World War II battles.

The modern equivalent of the Soviet-era school subject "Initial Military Training" in the curricula of general secondary education institutions in contemporary Belarus is a program designed for 130 hours per year in the 10th grade and 70 hours per year in the 11th grade. The obligatory component of this program is a field training camp for boys on the basis of one of the military units, and practical sessions for girls. Students who those classes may not pass to the final year and will not receive a school diploma.

In 2022, the educational program was updated to include mandatory standards such as partial disassembly and assembly of rifles, loading magazines with training rounds, donning gas masks, respirators, and standard military protective gear, actions in response to "Chemical Alert" signals, elements of drill and tactical training, and military topography.

Regarding military medical training, tasks include deploying an individual dressing package, applying bandages and a tourniquet, using a syringe tube, and more.

The material and technical base for all of this was gradually developed. The emphasis was initially placed on creating centres for pre-conscription training. Each such structure combines students from several schools. The educational process is organised on a block-module principle, where all the material planned for the year is covered over several instructional days. In addition to this, senior schoolchildren are offered the opportunity to attend optional classes, sports and technical clubs, and other applied activities.The classes are conducted with the assistance of officers from the district military enlistment office, educators, military faculty cadets, and medical university students.The centres are equipped with shooting ranges for pneumatic rifle shooting, Kalashnikov training rifles, visual aids, etc.

When studying the "Pre-conscription training" block, classes are called platoons (a platoon is divided into two or three squads). Platoon and squad leaders are appointed from among the students. Each lesson starts with the formation of personnel, checking the attendance of students, and reporting to the teacher about readiness for the educational activity. During the session, the requirements of general military regulations must be observed in the actions, responses, and interactions of students with the teacher.

Another component is the military-patriotic camps organised for children and youngsters during the summer school holidays. The programme of study in these camps resembles military training at school but is much more intensive and ideologically charged. Moreover, the life of children in such camps closely resembles that of soldiers, with military uniforms, barracks, and a corresponding daily routine.

Units of law enforcement agencies also readily take patronage over educational institutions. Belarusian schools have specialised classes with a military-patriotic focus. They study two subjects at an advanced level, which could be physics and mathematics or mathematics and a foreign language. Additionally, they engage in some optional courses such as "Ready to Serve the Homeland!" or "Young Border Guard", which are developed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and the State Border Committee. The criteria for admission to such specialised classes include good physical preparation, good state of health, and an average grade of no less than 7 on the certificate of basic education according to the current 10-point grading system used in the country.

In addition, in the near future, all students in Belarusian universities will be required to undergo basic military training. This was announced by the Belarusian Minister of Defense, Viktor Khrenin, on May 31, 2023 and a joint document with the Ministry of Education has already been adopted, allocating hours for the study of this mandatory specialised course.

Boarding military schools for boys (including orphans) in Belarus promoting the ideology of the «russian world»: In Belarus there are closed militarised boarding schools for boys starting from the age of 12, where they are taught skills in military affairs.

The aim of such institutions is to train personnel in military and sports specialties for the armed forces, other troops and military formations of the Republic of Belarus, as well as personnel for the bodies of internal affairs, the Investigation Committee, the State Committee of Forensic Expertise, emergency bodies and units, and other power structures.

The priority is given to boys in socially vulnerable situations, that is, to children whose parents were killed, died, or went missing while serving in the line of duty, as well as orphans and children deprived of parental care (taken away from families according to Presidential Decree No. 18). During their studies, the boys are provided with free accommodation and living in accordance with the legal acts of the Ministry of Defense. For many of these children, the enforcement agencies become the only family they know, and Lukashenka is perceived as their "father". As a result, personal devotion and loyalty to the "family" is formed.

A whole system of cadet schools is working in Belarus in various cities and towns of the country. They were established and are operating based on the presidential decree No. 54, dated January 28, 2010, “On Cadet Schools”.

Some of these institutions only provide round-the-clock accommodation for the cadets, where they live in the educational institution. Others have classes during the day, like normal schools, and the teenagers go home at night.

The main cadet school of this kind, located in Minsk, is called the "Suvorov Military School," named after Alexander Suvorov, a Russian military leader who actively fought against Belarusians and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 18th century. The name of Aleksandr Suvorov is a clear indication of the cadet school's affiliation with the "russian world" and its historical narratives.

Today there are about 400 pupils in Minsk Suvorov Military School. The tuition period is 5 years.

According to the information provided by the Belarusian union of cadets, currently over 10 thousand cadet graduates live in Belarus. About 2 thousand of them are graduates from Minsk Suvorov Military School.