The Tatar minority in Lithuania became a “weapon” in the political struggle against Moscow in the context of the status of Crimea. Vilnius showed special interest in its Tatar minority after Crimea joined Russia in 2014. Lithuania started to support the radical flank of Tatars, who refuse to recognise the results of the referendum regarding the status of the peninsula. It shows that Lithuanian authorities are manipulating the feelings of Tatars to satisfy their own political ambitions.
Summary
Belarusian neighbours should understand that Zapad-2021 is a scheduled exercise. If the hybrid war, which is being waged against Belarus, turns into a hot phase, the armed forces of Russia and Belarus must be reformatted taking into account all characteristics of possible armed conflicts.
Disproof
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the belligerent West claiming that it is plotting against Belarus and its citizens, trying to destabilise and destroy the country. Unfounded statement about the Western “hybrid war” activities against Belarus.
This is a disinformation narrative that pro-Kremlin outlets have been repeating over the past year about the West’s subversive activities against Belarus aimed at toppling its unrecognised dictator Alexander Lukashenka. In reality, all these reports have been created with the sole aim of helping Lukashenka stay in power amid people's growing discontent with his policies, especially after he had the results of last year’s presidential elections rigged and proclaimed himself the winner.
Western countries are not unleashing a hybrid war, but reacting to events in Belarus, including oppression against civil society and, for example, the forced landing of Ryanair flight FR4978 in Minsk, on 23 May 2021.
The EU has not recognised the falsified results of the Belarusian Presidential election on 9 August 2020, nor the new mandate claimed by Alexander Lukashenka. On the first anniversary of the 9 August 2020 fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus the EU stated that it "will continue to support a democratic, independent, sovereign, prosperous and stable Belarus. The voices and the will of the people of Belarus will not be silenced."
This decision of the new package of EU sanctions in June 2021 was made in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists. Moreover, seven individuals and one entity subject to this new round of restrictive measures were designated in connection to the forced and unlawful landing of flight FR4978. The goal of these sanctions is to put pressure on the Belarusian political leadership to initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue with broader society and to avoid further repression.
The West does not seek to destroy or impoverish Belarus. The European Commission has offered a comprehensive plan of economic support to a future, democratic Belarus. The plan, of up to €3 billion, reflects the European Union's commitment to supporting the Belarusian people's wishes for a peaceful democratic transition in the country.
Once Belarus embarks on a democratic transition, the EU will activate the €3 billion package, a mix of grants and loans leveraging public and private investments, to help Belarus to stabilise its economy, reform its institutions to make them more democratic and help increase the economy's resilience, growth potential and job creation.
Read similar cases: The EU wants to bring down the Belarusian economy and create conditions for a new coup; The EU wants to take the Belarusians by hunger through the economic war; Russia has neutralised many Western attempts to topple the Belarusian government; European policy of interference in Belarus continues and deepens; The US and Europe are demonising Belarus.