Russian nuclear facility in Belarus to stall any democratic changes – pundits

June 16, BPN. Deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus will have far-reaching negative consequences, political analyst Pavieł Slunkin said at the presentation of the Belarus Change Tracker report covering the spring of 2023.

Russian nuclear facility will ensure the long-term presence of Moscow in Belarus, the analysts noted. Russia will use it to enforce its military, political and economic interests and to prevent any democratic changes in Belarus, they stressed.

The report also noted growing international isolation of Belarus amid the government’s attempts to intensify foreign policy and look for partners abroad.

Several international organizations started openly noting responsibility of Belarusian authorities and Alaksandr Łukašenka personally for crimes in Ukraine, the report said. At the same time, Minsk has managed to avoid the EU sanctions for more than a year while the number of EU countries that block tougher sanctions against Belarus has grown.

Domestically, Belarusian authorities used security and counterterrorism narratives to justify a new wave of reprisals and increased controls at the borders, the analysts said.