Minsk, May 28 (IANS): Belarus plans to creat militias to increase the number of defenders for the country, Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin has said.

At an annual assembly for national security and defense training, the minister said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had given the order to create militias, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Belarus 1 TV channel.

Vladimir Karanik, chairman of the Grodno Regional Executive Committee, said militias can defend important objects, freeing the army from these functions and allowing the army to carry out combat missions.

The annual assembly of Military Security and State Defence was held Friday, with participants such as chairmen of executive committees and regional military commissars of the country.

According to the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Defence, samples of weapons and special equipment in service with Belarusian troops were demonstrated at the assembly, which was held to make participants know better about military operations in modern armed conflicts.