Character
Belarus is continuing to strengthen its military ties with Russia, its closest ally, with a series of recent equipment deliveries. The latest shipment, confirmed by the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, includes advanced Sukhoi Su-30SM2 fighter jets, marking the final installment of aircraft produced at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The move signals a significant upgrade to the Belarusian Air Force’s capabilities amid heightened regional security concerns.
Throughout 2025, Moscow has been actively working to modernize key segments of the Belarusian military through a series of agreements with Minsk. Earlier this year, Belarus received deliveries of Mil Mi-35M attack helicopters, as reported in May, and Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems, which arrived in late November. These deliveries demonstrate a concerted effort to bolster Belarus’s defense capabilities.
The modernization effort addresses a critical need within the Belarusian Air Force, much of whose existing fleet dates back to the Soviet era, including MiG-29BM and MiG-29S fighters, and Su-25 ground attack aircraft. Prior to the delivery of the Su-30SM2s, Belarus began upgrading its combat aviation capabilities with the introduction of Yak-130 advanced trainers, used for both pilot training and strike missions.
Russia began delivering the more advanced Su-30SM2 fighters in May and August, with a combined fleet of Su-30SM and Su-30SM2 aircraft potentially reaching twelve, according to current estimates. On December 26, another batch of Su-30SM2 aircraft arrived in Belarus. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense stated that the new aircraft will undergo technical training at a local airbase and will be fully operational within two weeks, adding that “this is not the last delivery: new equipment will continue to arrive, and the defensive capability of our air borders will continue to increase.”
The ongoing agreements with Russia suggest further deliveries of Su-30SM2 fighters are expected in the coming months, potentially expanding the Belarusian fleet and impacting other platforms currently in service with the Belarusian Armed Forces.
*Photographs: Belarusian Ministry of Defense.
You may also be interested in The new Russian hypersonic missile system Oreshnik will be redeployed in Belarus
