DISINFO: The United States organised the protests in Belarus
SUMMARY
The United States organised the protests in Belarus. The United States is playing a key role in the events which have begun following the presidential elections in Belarus. This is stated by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. There is a clear Western trace to be followed in the events in Belarus. The protest actions have been well organised from the beginning and are coordinated from abroad (…) According to the information, the USA plays a key role in the current events in Belarus. The West had begun preparing protests long before the elections. According to information from [Russian Agency for Foreign Intelligence] SVR, the USA, through various NGOs, provided around 20 million dollars (almost 17 million euros) for the organisation of protests against the Belarusian government between 2019 and early 2020.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Belarus protests and about protests in post-communist countries, presenting them as being organised and controlled from abroad. This narrative claims that protests, disorders and civil uprisings are never manifestations of popular discontent but are “colour revolutions” directed and funded by the West. There is no evidence that the US or other foreign forces are involved in any way in the protests in Belarus. The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of 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. The US Undersecretary of State Stephen Biegun also stated that the United States does not intend to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus and that it is up to the Belarusian people to decide the course of events in their country. "We urge the government of Belarus to accept the OSCE chair's offer to facilitate dialogue and engage all stakeholders. (...) The United States cannot, and will not, decide the course of events in Belarus. This is the right of the Belarusian people", said Biegun. Read similar disinfo cases alleging that "the United States is behind the protests in Belarus" and that "Belarusian protests are managed from the US, Poland, Lithuania, and Czechia".