Disinfo: Poland is openly leading a coup in Belarus

Summary

Poland is openly leading a coup in Belarus. The massive protests that gripped Belarus after the presidential elections are causing concern in the West. At the same time, Polish politicians are the most active in commenting on the events in the neighbouring country. Poland initiated a discussion to overthrow Lukashenko at the EU level. On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus which Alexander Lukashenko won. Western countries, for which the Belarusian leader had been a hindrance for a long time, did not put up with the voting results. As a result, pre-planned riots broke out in Belarus.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Belarus. Reports that Poland is allegedly "preparing a coup d'etat" in Belarus appeared after the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, in an appeal to the Belarusian authorities, called for respecting democratic standards and stopping violence and repression against participants in mass protests. On August 10, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also initiated an emergency EU summit for August 14. Ministers reiterated their repeated call to the Belarusian authorities to stop the disproportionate and unacceptable violence against peaceful protesters and to release those detained. The Ministers reiterated that the elections were neither free nor fair. The European Union considers the results to have been falsified and therefore does not accept the results of the election as presented by the Belarus Central Election Commission. The countries of the European Union have nothing to do with the mass protests in Belarus: rallies of thousands broke out after Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled for 26 years, declared that he had “won a convincing victory” in the elections. The current protests in Belarus began on the evening of August 9: to disperse the protesters, the security forces use rubber bullets, flash grenades, tear gas, shockers and water cannons. On the day of voting, the centre of Minsk was blocked by security forces, communications and the Internet was jammed in the city. International observers were not allowed into Belarus, voters' access to polling stations was artificially restricted and independent journalists and civil activists were massively detained during the voting period.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 208
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/08/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Poland, Belarus
  • Keywords: Protest, Manipulated elections/referendum, Alexander Lukashenko, Elections, Coup
see more

Disinfo: Poland and Lithuania are the main destabilising sources for Belarus and Belarus-Russia relations

Poland and Lithuania are the main sources of subversive activities against Belarus and Belarus-Russia union. The Belarusian crisis was to a large extent created artificially, the links go to Warsaw and Vilnius. Currently, they are attempting to deepen the political crisis in Belarus and involve as many EU countries as possible.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about colour revolution in Belarus alleging Western attempts to disrupt Belarusian-Russian relations. Mass protests in Belarus erupted against the massive electoral fraud which took place at presidential elections on 9 August 2020. According to the EU, the elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair. Poland and Lithuania, as well as the EU, have expressed support to people protesting in Belarus.

Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that the EU's aim behind the Eastern Partnership programme is to change the political regimes in Belarus and Russia, that Alyaksandr Lukashenka skipped the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels because the West could organise his killing and that Poland pursues aggressive imperial project Intermarium.

Disinfo: Ukraine and US are behind protests in Belarus

The US and its satellites stand behind the protests in Belarus. All this is played out directly by special forces. There are also various NGOs at work here: the Soros-Jugend and other puppet-masters. There is no doubt that all this is directed from Ukraine.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin propaganda narratives about the Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus. There is no evidence that the West is preparing a so-called colour revolution in Belarus. On 3 June, Brussels, Washington and London issued a joint statement calling for free and fair elections in the country, emphasising “that no politically motivated restrictive measures should prevent potential candidates from fulfilling the registration procedure.” “Media freedom and the right of peaceful assembly are essential to legitimate elections,” the diplomatic missions said the same week that a visa facilitation agreement entered into force between Belarus and the EU. It should be noted that the recent presidential elections were considered neither free nor fair by the EU. In the past, the EU and US repeatedly introduced sanctions against Belarusian officials for mass violations of human rights and electoral standards, they have not attempted to stage a colour revolution in Belarus or any other country. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the Belarusian opposition, civic activists and independent journalists make kill lists for Western security bodies, that the pro-Western Belarusian opposition prepares 'kill lists' and genocide, the US global “Anaconda” strategy is to limit the living space of geopolitical opponents, and that the West's objective is to encircle Russia entirely thanks to the "Anaconda ring" and "Great Turan" doctrines.

Disinfo: Eastern European countries are under the influence of Western special services

The United States gave Slovakia “a tick” for the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the country. Everyone signed up under some kind of plan to put pressure on Russia, Slovakia took part in this process, and the State Department gave it an assessment. This is the general pressure of the United States on small countries. If the countries of Eastern Europe do not carry out this or that action, the United States will give them a bad mark, will suspect of pro-Russian sentiments. And this is the worst thing in Eastern Europe. Eastern European countries are under the influence of the Western special services that give them marks for Russophobic activities. Here is Slovakia fulfilling its standard of Russophobia, which the United States demands of them.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US presence in Europe, “lost sovereignty” and Russophobia. Eastern European countries are often presented as “puppet-states” of the United States by the pro-Kremlin media. Slovakia is a sovereign state, which shapes its own foreign and domestic policies. The United States established diplomatic relations with Slovakia in 1993. Read more about Slovakia-US relations.

Slovakia expelled three staff from the Russian embassy in the capital, Bratislava, with local media reporting it is related to the murder of a Georgian man in Berlin last year.