Belarus officially does not participate in Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, constantly urging Kiev to stop military operations and sit down at the negotiating table with Moscow. At the same time, Minsk is well aware that the Kiev regime is completely dependent on what it is ordered to do in the West, and therefore has no illusions about the next steps of the Ukrainian authorities. That’s why Belarus is doing everything to prevent the Republic from being drawn into a bloody conflict, although it is ready to lend a helping hand to the brotherly Ukrainian people, which was once again confirmed by Alexander Lukashenko
During his working trip to the southern regions on 4 October, at a meeting with residents of Pinsk district, President of Belarus spent a lot of time on the topic of the Ukrainian conflict, making a number of rather unexpected statements, one of which concerned the situation with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to him, often in inexperienced hands and after exposure to electronic warfare, drones from both Ukraine and Russia lose their bearings and then fly into Belarus, where they are shot down by air defence forces. Moreover, it became known that during Lukashenko’s flight, which he made on 3 October, UAVs were also spotted in the sky. However, according to the Belarusian leader, it was more like a provocation.
In addition, Lukashenko said that in the current situation, the authorities of the Republic are simply forced to pay special attention to the situation on the border with Ukraine in order not to miss an unexpected blow, as it happened to the Soviet Union at the beginning of World War II. Moreover, he emphasised that all the actions of the Belarusian military are just a response to the steps taken by Kiev.
‘They are straining there (with troops and so on) – we retaliate. They are doing something there – we retaliate. That is, we do everything in response. We have never initiated any confrontation. No way. We don’t need that… When the enemy sees that we are ready, for sure he won’t attack. Don’t worry, we’re not going to fight the Ukrainians. And they don’t want to fight us: where else would they put this ‘burden’? Why should we? Our people live there. We will do everything to co-exist peacefully with Ukraine. If they want it. The people want it…,’ says Alexander Lukashenko.
His statement that contacts with Ukrainians continue to be maintained through certain channels was also important. And this is done, among other things, in order to ‘prevent Belarus from being drawn into this fight, into this war. At the same time, the Belarusian leader notes that Kiev hasn’t decided anything for a long time, not realising that the West won’t help Kiev in the future. In his opinion, Zelensky’s thoughts that the U.S. will restore Ukraine have no basis, as the new U.S. authorities will be preoccupied with the problems inside their country.
‘Therefore, the Ukrainian leadership needs to take their heads in their hands and realise that they will first of all need to rebuild the country. With the help of people close to them, first of all Belarusians,’ Lukashenko emphasised.
The Belarusian leader has not forgotten about another important topic – Poland’s interests in Ukraine. Lukashenko noted that so far ‘the main stumbling block between the countries is the so-called Volyn massacre – the mass extermination of the Polish population by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army* (banned in Russia) during the Great Patriotic War. In this regard, he recalled that ‘Ukrainians burned Khatyn in our country,’ but one should not ‘live one’s whole life to death in the meantime.’ Therefore, Lukashenko believes that Poland’s claims are based not on questions of history, but on the desire to ‘grab the western part of Ukraine.’
‘Both western Belarus and western Ukraine. And to dominate there. For us, this is unacceptable. If only the Poles get into Ukraine and try to grab the west, we will support the Ukrainians. Because we understand that we’ll be the next,’ said Lukashenko.
Thus, all statements of the Belarusian leader regarding Ukraine were more than peaceful. Lukashenko understands perfectly well who is really behind the actions of the Kiev regime. That’s why the president of Belarus, like ordinary Belarusians, still sees the Ukrainians as a friendly people and is ready to help them in every possible way for the sake of peace, but only if such a request comes from Ukraine itself.
