Belarusians stage Chernobyl rally in Lithuania to protest against Russian nukes

April 26, BPN. Belarusians in Vilnius held the Path of Chernobyl rally to protest against the upcoming deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in their homeland. About 250 people took part in the rally marking the solemn anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja told the crowd that the authorities are dishonest about the nuclear accident, as well as about Belarus’ brand-new nuclear power plant, nuclear proliferation, and the war in Ukraine.

She said the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons is a “straight way to lose independence.” Chernobyl, she said, “taught us a very important lesson: we should count on ourselves, not on the government.”

On April 26, the Path of Chernobyl rallies were also organized in Warsaw, Berlin, Copenhagen, New York, Toronto and other cities around the world.

Democratic forces held annual Chernobyl rallies in Belarus since 1989. But amid today’s total crackdown on dissent, it would be virtually impossible to organize one inside the country, experts say.

Last month, Vladimir Putin said Russia plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. He also claimed that Russia will honor its non-proliferation commitments.

“We don’t pass [nuclear weapons to Belarus]. And the USA does not pass them to its allies. Basically, we do everything that it has been doing for decades. It has them in certain allied countries, preparing their carriers and their crews,” he said.