DISINFO: Russia has neutralised many Western attempts to topple the Belarusian government
SUMMARY
Alyaksandr Lukashenka started a crackdown on dissent because his inner circle convinced him of Russian plans to organise a Maidan. In fact, this is a Western special operation. On the contrary, Belarus held out thanks to its close alliance with Russia. Russia has been continuously neutralising Western attempts to take down Belarusian state authorities.
RESPONSE
This is a conspiracy theory consistent with recurring disinformation narratives about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus and to disrupt Belarusian-Russian relations. In the past, Western coutries repeatedly introduced sanctions against Belarusian officials for mass violations of human rights and electoral standards but they have not attempted to stage a colour revolution in Belarus or any other country. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that US agents attempt to overthrow Lukashenka along the Ukrainian scenario, that the West dreams of tearing Belarus apart from Russia and to organise a Ukraine-like scenario, that Belarusian opposition leader Andrei Sannikau prepares a coup with US military assistance, and that pro-Western Belarusian opposition prepares a revolution with the assistance of armed Ukrainian nationalists.