Lukashenko dismisses Chief of Staff Gulevich amid opposition to war

Aleksandr Lukashenko has dismissed General Viktor Gulevich from the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus. As emphasized in the statement, he will be moved to the reserve due to his age.

Aleksandr Lukashenko signed the relevant decree. As highlighted, Gulevich is moving to the reserve due to his age but retains the right to wear a military uniform and insignia. The military officer will turn 55 years old in a few days.

Gulevich graduated from the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School in 1990. He served in the Transcaucasian Military District, and after the breakup of the USSR, he returned to Belarus.

The military officer has held various positions in the Belarusian army. In March 2021, he assumed the role of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus and Deputy Minister of Defense.

According to "Nasha Niva," in 2022, Gulevich was among the military officers who opposed Belarus joining the invasion of Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the general was included in the sanction lists of the European Union, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Ukraine in 2022.