Zelensky: Over 70 percent of Belarusians against Russia

May 14, BPN. The majority of Belarusians do not support Russia’s war on Ukraine and are fighting hard for their independence despite being brainwashed, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky told Italian journalists on May 13.

“I don’t think that Belarus is Russia,” he said. “Russia is doing everything to turn Belarus into Russia. . . They [Russians] already have their own people in many institutions there.” Yet over 70 percent of Belarusians are against Russia and support Ukraine, he noted.

Belarusians are fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of choice despite the ongoing information war, Zelensky said. “I believe that the society of Belarus will remain independent,” he stressed.

Earlier, Zelensky repeatedly stressed the antiwar sentiment in Belarus. However, in March 2022, a month after Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine, he did not mind Belarusian authorities arranging peace talks with Russia. Belarusians have to make their choice about Alaksandr Łukašenka, not Ukraine, he noted.

In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. Łukašenka admitted that Belarus participated in Russia’s war on Ukraine, but said it was “not killing anyone.”

Authorities in Minsk denied Belarusian army troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops and weapons to move freely through the country, use its airspace, refuel and store military equipment and attack Ukraine from its territory.