{"id":11439,"date":"2022-06-27T14:54:27","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T11:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/lukasenka-pays-for-russian-support-with-significant-complicity-in-aggression\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"lukasenka-pays-for-russian-support-with-significant-complicity-in-aggression","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t * Reproduction prohibited\n<\/p>\n

\n Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his support of its aggressive policies. Moscow has approved $1.5 in assistance for Belarus\u2019 import substitution program and is building a port to facilitate Belarusian transits. President Vladimir Putin has promised to send Iskander missile systems to Belarus.<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t However, Belarus’ heavy reliance on Moscow makes it easier for Russia to drag it into the war with Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

Minsk\u2019s future transit route<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka inspected the construction site for a Belarusian port in Bronka, Saint Petersburg, in the morning of June 25 before his talks with Putin later the same day.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t He thanked the Russian president for his approval of the project. \u201cThis is a good place. We have slowly started to onload mineral fertilizers there. I think that it will be the most powerful port. It may not even be enough for us. But as we agreed, we will see if we need to expand it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian ruler said in March that it would take Belarus two years to build ports in Russia. Officials have never said who funds the construction. In September 2020 \u0141uka\u0161enka suggested that Belarus should be allowed to spend the undrawn amount of a Russian loan provided for the construction of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka is planning to use the new ports for shipping potash fertilizers after Belarus\u2019 key export routes were disrupted by Western sanctions imposed over alleged human rights abuses and Minsk\u2019s complicity in Russia\u2019s assault on Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

Import substitution<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka had announced on June 9 that Russia pledged about $1.5 billion in assistance to Belarus for its import substitution program. He discussed the matter with Putin during their meeting in Saint Petersburg on June 25. Putin reportedly said that some of the aid should be used for producing goods for third countries.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka said that Belarus proposed 15 major import substitution projects. Earlier, he indicated that Russia should finance Belarus\u2019 microchip manufacturer Intehra\u0142 to enable it to fill the niche left by rivals.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Observers are skeptical about it. They say that the Belarusian company lags behind its rivals and cannot narrow the gap due to international sanctions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Commentators noted that $1.5 billion would not be enough to build a state-of-the-art microchip plant, adding that Belarusian officials tend to exaggerate import substitution benefits.\n<\/p>\n

Missiles<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t During his meeting with Putin, the Belarusian ruler echoed Russian propaganda narratives. He asked Vladimir Putin to equip Belarus\u2019 warplanes for \u201ca mirror response\u201d to alleged NATO exercises near Belarus involving planes carrying nuclear bombs. \u201cWe should be ready for everything, even the use of the most serious weapons to defend our Fatherland from Brest to Vladivostok,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Putin said that Russia could upgrade Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft in service with the Belarusian Armed Forces and train pilots. Putin also promised to transfer Iskander-M mobile short-range ballistic and cruise missile systems to Belarus within the next few months. The Iskander-M has a range of up to 500 kilometers.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian ruler told Putin that he was particularly worried about what he called brinkmanship policies of Poland and Lithuania. He described Poland\u2019s policy as disgusting and aggressive. \u201cLithuania is the same, there has been a surge in information recently about their plan to block transits from Russia through Belarus to Kaliningrad to isolate Kaliningrad. Listen, it sounds like a declaration of war or something. Such things are unacceptable in modern conditions.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Clearly, \u0141uka\u0161enka has pounced on the opportunity to equip the Belarusian Armed Forces as Russia\u2019s expense and intimidate the West. He had criticized Moscow for its reluctance to supply Belarus with new weapons.\n<\/p>\n

Dangerous dependence<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka has managed to exact some concessions from Moscow mainly because Belarus is Russia\u2019s only ally in its war against Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t But he also pays a high price for it, which includes complicity in the aggression, international isolation, economic hardships and strained sovereignty. \n<\/p>\n

\n\t In addition, there is always a risk that Belarusian troops may be drawn into the war. Ukrainian intelligence reported that the Russians are planning subversive operations against Belarus\u2019 refinery in Mazyr. \u0141uka\u0161enka vowed to retaliate immediately to possible Ukrainian strikes on the city.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t On June 26 Russian bombers and Iskander missile systems attacked Ukraine from the Belarusian territory. The Ukrainian military sees that attacks as a new attempt to drag Belarus into the war.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Tension has heightened between Moscow and Vilnius over Lithuanian restrictions on Russian transits to the Kaliningrad exclave. Some observers fear that Russia may attack the Suwalki gap separating the exclave from Russia.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Putin\u2019s February 24 attack on Ukraine was a major gamble. If he decides to involve Belarusian troops in the special operation, \u0141uka\u0161enka would not be able to wriggle out because he is too reliant on Moscow.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his support of its aggressive policies. Moscow has approved $1.5 in assistance for Belarus\u2019 import substitution program and is building a port to facilitate Belarusian transits. President Vladimir Putin has promised to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11439","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Pozirk_online\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\"},\"headline\":\"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-06-27T11:54:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\"},\"wordCount\":817,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\",\"name\":\"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-06-27T11:54:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00\",\"description\":\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Pozirk\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk","description":"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk","og_description":"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his","og_url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/","og_site_name":"Pozirk","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","article_modified_time":"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Pozirk_online","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/"},"headline":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression","datePublished":"2022-06-27T11:54:27+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/"},"wordCount":817,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/","name":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression | Pozirk","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-06-27T11:54:27+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13+00:00","description":"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN * Reproduction prohibited Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka has been trying to get as much as possible from Russia in return for his","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11439\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u0141uka\u0161enka pays for Russian support with significant complicity in aggression"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","name":"Pozirk","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization","name":"Pozirk","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Pozirk"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longreads\/11439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longreads"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/longreads"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"rubric","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rubric?post=11439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}