Łukašenka fears his exiled opponents may storm into Belarus

September 26, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka turned his fire on his political opponents during his conference with officials in Minsk on September 26.

He claimed that his exiled opponents are planning “to storm into territory [Belarus] as Ukrainians did it in the Kursk province, occupy part of the territory and destabilize the situation in the country.”  

“This is a last resort for them, because no one gives money for empty talk,” he said at a government meeting on HR matters.

Łukašenka claimed that his exiled opponents “engage in empty talk completely losing the international and internal agendas to Belarusian journalists.”

According to him, their US sponsors understand it and “start demanding a more resolute action in return for funding.”

That is why, he said, he has to “pay much attention to defense.”

He reiterated that next year’s presidential poll will be a major test. “An electoral campaign is always a front, always a battlefield,” he stressed, warning the officials against relaxing.

At least 500,000 Belarusians fled their country fearing political reprisals in the period from the August 2020 presidential election to January 2024, said social scientist Hiennadź Koršunaŭa in May.

Koršunaŭ studied available data from countries that shelter Belarusians. After 2020 about 120,000 Belarusian nationals settled down in Poland, 50,000 in Lithuania, 8,000 in Germany and 25,000 in other EU countries. In addition, 11,000 Belarusians moved to Georgia and 5,000 to Israel.

The scientist noted that Russia was probably the main destination but it was “almost impossible” to determine the number of people who have gone to Russia.

Also read: About 500,000-600,000 have left Belarus after 2020 election – sociologist