DISINFO: Belarusian opposition is guided from NATO and CIA psy-ops centre in Poland, EU sanctions predetermined
SUMMARY
Once Washington’s strategists decided that it is time for the Belarusian president to leave, it ordered Belarusian opposition members, previously prepared, and its external agents from Poland and Latvia, to start a colour revolution and putting in power somebody more pro-West and radical. The opposition members are guided from Poland’s Central Group of Psychological Action located in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz and under the control of NATO’s Intelligence Division and the CIA. Everything was ready for the European Union to denounce the results of the elections and impose sanctions on the main Belarusian officials.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative framing all popular protests in the world as colour revolutions and movements opposed to any government supported by Moscow as Western puppets, and portraying the European Union as being directed by Washington. No evidence is provided to support any of the claims. This is also part of an ongoing disinformation campaign on post-electoral events in Belarus. Large-scale protests began in Minsk on August 9 against the results of the presidential election, and then in other cities. People revolted against what they call election fraud but also against the aggressiveness of the police, who arrested and ill-treated hundreds of rally participants. The European Council condemned, on 19 August 2020, the violence against peaceful protesters and announced that it would soon adopt a list of sanctions for those responsible for violence in Belarus. ”As the elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair, and did not meet international standards, the EU does not recognize the results presented by the Belarus authorities”, is mentioned in a European Council press release. See other examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives in Belarus, such as claims that the EU reaction to Lukashenko’s victory is an example of Western double standards; that the same lack of democracy and repression is present in EU countries that criticize them in Minsk; that the arrest of Russian mercenaries in Belarus was a Ukrainian provocation, and the Ukrainian secret services may have planned terrorist attacks in Belarusian territory; that the West wants to prepare another Maidan in the country; or that Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians are one single nation. This disinformation message appeared in the same article as the claims that “The West betrayed Lukashenko, as it always does with rulers who become too friendly with it” and “Foreign TV stations instigated violence in Belarus, advising provokers on how to attack policemen”