Viktor Khrenin

He was born on 1 August 1971 in Navahrudak, a town in the Grodno Region. His father, Gennady Khrenin, was a Soviet Army Colonel in Reserve from the Penza Oblast. He graduated in 1988 from the Minsk Suvorov Military School. After graduating from the Omsk-based Frunze Higher Combined Arms Command School in 1992, he served as a platoon commander and later a battalion commander in the 6th Guards Kiev-Berlin Mechanised Brigade. After graduating from the Military Academy of Belarus in 2005, Khrenin served as a senior officer in the operational department of the headquarters of the Western Operational Command. After leaving this post, he took a number of leadership positions that climaxed when he became the commander of the 11th Guards Berlin-Carpathian Mechanized Brigade. In 2014, he graduated from the faculty of the General Staff of the Belarusian Military Academy with honours and a gold medal. On 23 June 2015, by decree of President Alexander Lukashenko he was appointed to the post of commander of the troops of the Western Operational Command.

File:Main Cathedral CSTO Summit 02 (cropped).jpg and Nurlan Yermekbayev.]]

After 5 years in this role, he was appointed in January 2020, by President Lukashenko, to the post of the Defence Minister of Belarus, succeeding Lieutenant General Andrei Ravkov, who himself was made the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mil.by/en/forces/squad/persons/203/|title=Victor Khrenin — Military information portal of the Ministry of Defence of Republic of Belarus|website=www.mil.by|access-date=2020-02-04|archive-date=2022-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223104351/https://www.mil.by/en/forces/squad/persons/203/|url-status=live}} Upon his appointment, he underlined his consistency with military priorities while admitting that he "will have to study and learn a lot".{{cite web |url=https://m.eng.belta.by/society/view/belarus-new-defense-minister-chief-of-general-staff-introduced-to-defense-ministry-team-127444-2020/ |title=Belarus' new defense minister, chief of General Staff introduced to Defense Ministry team |date=January 21, 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210075209/https://eng.belta.by/society/view/belarus-new-defense-minister-chief-of-general-staff-introduced-to-defense-ministry-team-127444-2020/ |archive-date=2023-02-10}}

On the 80th birthday of Anatoly Kostenko, Khrenin personally congratulated the former defence minister in the building of the military department.{{Cite web|title=Анатолий Иванович, а помните?.. — Во славу родины|url=https://vsr.mil.by/special/rubrics/vremya_sobytiya_lyudi/anatoly_ivanovich_do_you_remember_/|access-date=2020-09-07|website=vsr.mil.by}}{{Cite web|title=Полвека в строю — Во славу родины|url=https://vsr.mil.by/special/rubrics/vremya_sobytiya_lyudi/half_a_century_in_the_ranks/|access-date=2020-09-07|website=vsr.mil.by}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRWP_OwI2c8|title=Юбилей генерал-полковника Анатолия Костенко|via=www.youtube.com|access-date=2020-09-07|archive-date=2020-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825163043/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRWP_OwI2c8&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}

During the 2020 Belarusian protests, he compared those marching and protesting under the historical tricolor of the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic to Nazi collaborators during World War II, saying in a statement that "We cannot calmly watch how, under the flags under which the fascists organized the massacres of Belarusians, Russians, Jews, [and] representatives of other nationalities, actions are being organized today in these sacred places".{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygraph.info/a/belarusian-defense-minister-falsely-associates-national-flag-with-nazi-collaborators/30800503.html|title=Belarusian Defense Minister Misleadingly Associates National Flag with Nazi Collaborators|website=POLYGRAPH.info|date=24 August 2020|access-date=25 August 2020|archive-date=25 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825091601/https://www.polygraph.info/a/belarusian-defense-minister-falsely-associates-national-flag-with-nazi-collaborators/30800503.html|url-status=live}} His statement was considered to be unusually politicized and emotionally charged even for an agency like the defense ministry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.unian.info/world/belarus-defense-minister-warns-of-army-use-lukashenko-shows-resolve-11122328.html|title=Belarus protests: defense minister warns of army use, Lukashenko shows resolve in propaganda video|website=www.unian.info|access-date=2021-06-02|archive-date=2022-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111081434/https://www.unian.info/world/belarus-defense-minister-warns-of-army-use-lukashenko-shows-resolve-11122328.html|url-status=live}} Khrenin also declared to the military leadership that a military conflict may be unfolding that will require their assistance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.intellinews.com/belarus-defence-minister-tells-military-elite-it-is-necessary-to-fight-and-if-necessary-with-weapons-as-lukashenko-s-counteroffensive-gathers-momentum-190112/|title=Belarus' defence minister tells military elite: "It is necessary to fight. And if necessary with weapons" as Lukashenko's counteroffensive gathers momentum|date=August 20, 2020|website=www.intellinews.com|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=September 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901093536/https://www.intellinews.com/belarus-defence-minister-tells-military-elite-it-is-necessary-to-fight-and-if-necessary-with-weapons-as-lukashenko-s-counteroffensive-gathers-momentum-190112/|url-status=live}}

In June 2021, the EU put sanctions on Khrenin.{{Cite web|url=https://tass.com/old-world/1305411/amp|title=EU slaps sanctions on Lukashenko family members, Belarus defense minister, businessmen|work=TASS|date=21 June 2021|accessdate=11 September 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624210625/https://tass.com/old-world/1305411/amp|url-status=live}} He was also sanctioned by the United Kingdom,{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/996772/Belarus.pdf|title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK|publisher=Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation HM Treasury|date=2021-06-25|access-date=2021-09-11|archive-date=2021-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626094724/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/996772/Belarus.pdf|url-status=live}} Switzerland,{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-widen-sanctions-list-against-belarus-2021-07-07/|title=Swiss widen sanctions list against Belarus|first1=Michael|last1=Shields|last2=Liffey |first2=Kevin|date=2021-07-07|publisher=Reuters|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707215407/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-widen-sanctions-list-against-belarus-2021-07-07/|archivedate=2021-07-07|accessdate=2021-07-10|editor=Liffey, Kevin|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://www.seco.admin.ch/dam/seco/de/dokumente/Aussenwirtschaft/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/Exportkontrollen/Sanktionen/Verordnungen/Belarus/belarus_2021-07-07.pdf.download.pdf/Belarus_2021-07-07.pdf|title=Sanctions program: Belarus: Verordnung vom 11. Dezember 2020 über Massnahmen gegenüber Belarus (SR 946.231.116.9), Anhang 1 Origin: EU Sanctions: Art. 2 Abs. 1 (Finanzsanktionen) und Art. 3 Abs. 1 (Ein- und Durchreiseverbot)|first=|last=|date=2021-07-07|publisher=Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707175409/https://www.seco.admin.ch/dam/seco/de/dokumente/Aussenwirtschaft/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/Exportkontrollen/Sanktionen/Verordnungen/Belarus/belarus_2021-07-07.pdf.download.pdf/Belarus_2021-07-07.pdf|archivedate=2021-07-07|accessdate=2021-07-10|url-status=live}} Canada,{{Cite web|url=https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/consolidated-consolide.aspx?lang=eng|title=Consolidated Canadian Autonomous Sanctions List|date=2015-10-19|publisher=Global Affairs Canada|accessdate=2021-06-29|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517222157/https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/consolidated-consolide.aspx?lang=eng|url-status=live}} and the United States.Office of Foreign Assets Control. "Notice of OFAC Sanctions Actions." published 2 March 2022. {{Federal Register|87|11810}}

On 25 March 2022, Khrenin was sanctioned by Australia due to having "played a role of significant strategic importance to Russia by allowing Russia to launch attacks from Belarus" in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite web |url=https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/australia-places-additional-sanctions-russia-and-belarus |title=Australia places additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus |type=Media release |website=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |date=25 March 2022 |access-date=26 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325120854/https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/australia-places-additional-sanctions-russia-and-belarus |archive-date=25 March 2022 |url-status=live}} Also in 2022, he was blacklisted by Japan,{{cite web |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/03/e2783c3e9bf4-japan-to-freeze-assets-of-4-more-russian-banks-to-keep-pace-with-eu.html |title=Japan to freeze assets of 4 more Russian banks to align with EU |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=9 April 2023 |work=Kyodo News |archive-date=9 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409164554/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/03/e2783c3e9bf4-japan-to-freeze-assets-of-4-more-russian-banks-to-keep-pace-with-eu.html |url-status=live }} New Zealand{{cite web|title=Implementation of travel bans on individuals associated with the Russian invasion of Ukraine|url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/implementation-of-travel-bans-on-individuals-associated-with-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine/|website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)|date=7 March 2022|accessdate=2022-04-15|archive-date=2022-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415175934/https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/implementation-of-travel-bans-on-individuals-associated-with-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine/|url-status=live}} and Ukraine{{cite web|title=KHRENIN Viktor Gennadievich|url=https://sanctions.nazk.gov.ua/en/sanction-person/821/|work=National Agency for Prevention of Corruption|access-date=2024-06-10|archive-date=2024-03-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322032700/https://sanctions.nazk.gov.ua/en/sanction-person/821/|url-status=live}} on similar grounds.

• Wife - Natalya Mikhailovna Khrenina, the head of the physiotherapy department of the 1134th Military Clinical Medical Center of the Armed Forces.{{Cite web|url=http://1134.by/pages/struktura.html|title=Врачи медицинского центра|website=1134.by|access-date=2020-12-30|archive-date=2020-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805020852/http://1134.by/pages/struktura.html|url-status=dead}}
• Daughter - Marina, a lawyer and a graduate of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno.

• Order "For Service to the Motherland" III degree
• Medal "For impeccable service" I degree (2018){{Cite web|url=https://pravo.by/upload/docs/op/P31800075_1519333200.pdf|title=Указ Прэзідэнта Рэспублікі Беларусь ад 20 лютага 2018 года №75 «Аб узнагароджанні»|access-date=2020-12-30|archive-date=2022-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207060140/https://pravo.by/upload/docs/op/P31800075_1519333200.pdf|url-status=live}}
• Medal "For impeccable service" II degree
• Medal "For impeccable service" III degree
• Jubilee Medal "50 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "60 years of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus from the Nazi invaders"
• Jubilee Medal "60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Medal "65 years of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus from the Nazi invaders"
• Jubilee Medal "65 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "70 years of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus from the Nazi invaders"

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Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Novogrudok

Category:Defence ministers of Belarus

Category:Government of Belarus

Category:Minsk Suvorov Military School alumni

Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Category:Belarusian individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions