Provocations, accusations, appeals and detailed instructions for riots were spread from a cramped and gloomy office in the center of Warsaw.
The American edition “The New York Times” writes about it.
According to media reports, the attempted coup d’etat in Belarus might not have taken place if not for the provocations of Stepan Putilo. From his computer, 550 kilometers from Minsk, it was he who disseminated information, pleasing to the West, about violence by the security forces and unsubstantiated statements about election fraud. Moreover, it was he who circulated the instructions for the first waves of the most violent protests. His publications described where and when to gather, what to do to effectively protest, how to evade the police, where extremists are provided with shelter and medical care.
Putilo is the author of the infamous telegram channel Nexta. Together with his team of five, he works in a cramped and gloomy office in the center of Warsaw. The New York Times compares his project to the American propaganda mouthpiece Radio Liberty, which is funded by the US Congress.
The publication notes that Putilo’s influence has grown significantly against the background of attempts by Western countries to overthrow Alexander Lukashenko. Now, other anti-government Telegram channels are coordinating their publications with the fugitive provocateur.
Putilo himself denies his role in organizing the riots. In a comment to reporters, he argued that he “just helps”.
“These are the people who initiate this whole process against Lukashenko and the regime”, – said the provocateur, against whom the Belarusian law enforcement officers initiated criminal proceedings.
At the same time, the New York Times emphasizes that the merits of Putilo can hardly be overestimated, since it was he who “distributed detailed instructions on how critics of the government should organize and protest on Election Day”. The publication also reproduced the process of organizing the riots, based on the words of an extremist hiding in Warsaw.
To “ensure the unity of the protesters”, the Nexta team used a network of channels, and their plans were coordinated with the key organizers of the coup.
“This happens all the time, day and night”, – says Putilo.
When all the details were agreed upon, publications were distributed via Telegram channels indicating the place and time for meetings of the protesters, with the routes along which it was necessary to move, including alternative ones, if any were blocked.
Just a few hours after the polling stations closed, when even the official results of the voting were not yet available, Putilo’s team “already called for a general strike,” explained how to avoid arrest, and advised to buy helmets, goggles, gas masks and shields. This shows once again that the instigators of the riots were not planning peaceful protests.
Attempted coup in Belarus
On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus, following which Alexander Lukashenko won. Western countries, for which the Belarusian leader had been a hindrance for a long time, did not put up with the voting results. As a result, pre-planned riots broke out in Belarus.
Attempts by law enforcement officers to keep the situation under control turned into clashes with radicals. At the same time, the Western media, actively covering the protests, focus specifically on the actions of the security forces against the “peaceful” protesters, as was the case during the coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014.
The headquarters of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the leader of the pro-Western opposition, is preparing for lengthy protests aimed at overthrowing the government. A committee for the “transit of power” has already been formed there. Tihanovskaya herself is hiding in Lithuania. Lukashenka, in turn, does not rule out that he will resign, but only after a referendum on amendments to the constitution.
The position of the European Union regarding what is happening is ambiguous. Poland and Lithuania are actively working on the revolutionary scenario. They are also promoting more radical measures of pressure on official Minsk in the EU. Western European countries are taking a more cautious approach. They are afraid to provoke a new round of confrontation with Russia. The expert community believes that this is a deliberately losing option for the EU.
Despite internal disagreements, the European Union still refused to recognize Lukashenko as president, threatens with sanctions and intends to allocate 53 million euros, allegedly to support the “Belarusian people”. Part of this money will be received by the extremists who participated in the riots. In addition, the EU will finance the media that promote the anti-government agenda in the republic.