DISINFO: Destabilisation of Belarus and ousting of Lukashenko was planned in US embassy in Ukraine
SUMMARY
A task force was created in the US embassy in Kyiv. Its main goal was to destabilise Belarus and to overthrow Lukashenko. The first grants were given to achieve this. [They were used] in blocking the Belarusian embassy in Kyiv, the adoption of a resolution by the [Verkhovna] Rada on the non-recognition of the election results, and in recalling the Ukrainian ambassador to Belarus.
RESPONSE
This is part of an ongoing Russian disinformation campaign on Belarus based on recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives, such as accusing other countries of interference and portraying popular protests against electoral fraud in the country as a Western-led colour revolution. There is no evidence that the US or Ukraine is trying to destabilise the situation in Belarus. US and Ukraine both support the independence and territorial integrity of Belarus and they do not have any political claims. The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential elections in Belarus that took place on the 9 August, which are considered fraudulent by a large part of Belarusian society. The European Union has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair. There is no evidence that the protests in Belarus are funded and organised externally. Pro-Kremlin media frequently use disinformation narratives about popular protests around the world allegedly incited and funded by the US and other Western states. It has been applied, among others, to protests in Ukraine, Venezuela, Georgia, and Belarus, as well as to present a deceiving narrative on the aggressive West constantly preparing new coups. Read similar disinformation cases: The Baltic States and Poland are blowing Belarus up from the inside, Ukrainian militants are staying in Belarus to carry out a coup d'etat, in Belarus, there are signs of a colour revolution, but hybrid one.