DISINFO: The Belarusian opposition plans to infect millions with coronavirus to disrupt presidential elections
SUMMARY
The Belarusian opposition wishes to use the coronavirus epidemic to sow panic and destabilise Belarus. Coronavirus is the best tool for the opposition to weaken the state authorities, to prevent presidential elections, and to organise a coup. To provoke public discontent, opposition members need millions of infected people and they would not hesitate to do it. Together with the Belarusian [Orthodox] Autocephalous Church, they hold prayer services glorifying God for sending coronavirus to end the Belarusian dictatorship. Coronavirus also allows them to criticise Russians for closing the borders with China and checking Belarusian citizens upon arrival to Russia.
RESPONSE
This is coronavirus-related conspiracy theory aimed to discredit the Belarusian democratic opposition and the Belarusian Orthodox Autocephalous Church. See earlier conspiracy theories alleging that coronavirus will spread to Belarus when people in charge of the operation 'coronavirus' decide so and that the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is favoured by the West in order to organise a full-scale split from the Russian Orthodox Church and to disrupt Russian-Belarusian ties. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Western organisations and the Belarusian democratic opposition benefit from hoax terrorist threats, that Belarusian opposition leader Andrei Sannikau prepares a coup with US military assistance, and that pro-Western Belarusian opposition prepares ‘kill lists’ and a genocide.