Belarusians learn about foreign jets from Moscow

"Information about this was issued in the corresponding statement by representatives of the Russian Federation," the press office of Defense Ministry of Belarus told Euroradio about the visit of Russian Air Force officials to Belarus.

It is no wonder there are no comments from the defense officials: the Russian neighbors have not come for a barbecue party. They have come to find a good location for their prospective airbase. The Belarus defense officials do not even reveal what cities the Russian guests are visiting - one can only guess.

Even Belarus defense minister Zhadobin keeps silence, leave alone the junior clerks. In late May, Euroradio reached the minister through a public direct line. When asked the same question by the Euroradio correspondent, he answered with no creativity:

"This was the first-hand information. It was made public in the media. I have no more comments."

To make a comparisson, here is what the Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu had to say about the Russian airbase in Belarus:

"We begin to consider a plan to deploy here (in Belarus - Euroradio) a Russian airbase with fighter jets. Our hope is that an aviation regiment will have been deployed here in 2015. In 2013, we will set up a commandant's office and the first airwing on duty will be deployed."

It looks like that if not for the Russian defense minister, Belarusians would not have even learned this news. Defense expert Aliaksandr Alesin reckons Belarus defense officials simply feel embarassed to talk about the Russian warplanes on the Belarusian soil.

The Kremlin, on the contrary, cannot help but brag about its new geopolitical achievements. It is only sad that Belarusians  once again have to learn the news from Moscow not to miss something interesting just in case.