city and centre of Molodechno rayon (sector), Minsk oblast (province), Belarus, northwest of Minsk city. The city achieved eminence after becoming a railway junction at the end of the 19th century, and from 1939 until 1960 it served as an oblast centre (except during World War II, when much of it was destroyed). It is a centre of diverse food and other light industries, with some machine-building and building-material industries. Pop. (1991 est.) 93,500.