Key points
- Belarus is heavily influenced by Russia, which supports Lukashenko's regime, and the country's repression situation is worsening.
- Most Belarusians do not support the war in Ukraine, but are afraid to express their opinions because of the threat of arrest.
- A representative of the Belarusian Volunteer Corps believes that the overthrow of Lukashenko’s regime is only possible after the collapse of Russia.
Russia has significant influence on Belarus, supporting the illegal stay in power of Alexander Lukashenko. Belarusians who are dissatisfied with the situation in the country are under constant threat of repression, because it is the main lever of pressure on the population there.
A representative of the Belarusian Volunteer Corps told Channel 24 that the situation in Belarus is only getting worse. Repressions are only getting stronger, people are being jailed.
“People who have served their sentences are sent back to prison, because there is no one left to put away. Belarus still has the highest form of punishment – the death penalty. The state takes advantage of this by exerting moral pressure,” he said.
What is the situation in Belarus?
A representative of the Belarusian Volunteer Corps noted that everyone who is against the illegal government in Belarus knows about the threat of being subjected to repression.
Supporters of Alexander Lukashenko are trying to create a picture that everything is fine in the country, everyone is happy and lives in safety.
This is all a smokescreen, it has always been like this and it is not getting any easier – very bad economic indicators, a lot of unemployed people, – emphasized the representative of the Belarusian Volunteer Corps.
He noted that there are many people behind bars in Belarus because they do not accept the government. It is not known when they will be released or whether they will be released at all.
How Belarusians feel about the war in Ukraine
The military man stressed that the majority of Belarusians understand what is happening in Ukraine and do not support Russia’s armed attack, but they are not allowed to talk about it or express their own opinion.
All because they will come to you and ask why this is so. Not only can't you even talk about supporting Ukraine, but you can't transfer money to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. You will be identified and there will be criminal liability and repression, he noted.
Many Belarusians who donated have left the country or are already in prison.
Overthrow of Lukashenko's regime
A representative of the Belarusian Volunteer Corps said that those who are against Lukashenko's regime, of course, have the goal of overthrowing him, but at the moment this is not very realistic.
I understand that until Russia collapses, Belarus will never be free, the military man said.
There are currently many Russian troops in the country. They train Belarusian security forces to fight, so, in his opinion, it is impossible to simply come with weapons and liberate Belarus. For this to happen, Russia must disintegrate.
Interestingly, a Belarusian with the call sign “Student” who fought on the Russian side was captured by the Ukrainians. He was thrown into Vovchansk, where he witnessed numerous casualties among the occupiers. The man was subsequently forced to participate in assaults as part of the 82nd motorized rifle regiment, using him as “cannon fodder”, and he surrendered voluntarily, trying to escape cruel treatment in the Russian army.
