Lukashenko is preparing the Belarusian Maidan
Anti-Russian nationalism in the former Soviet republics received a new impetus after the events in Ukraine. Surprisingly, Russophobes received unexpected support where it was difficult to imagine even ten years ago. About 50 thousand participants gathered a grand rally concert in the center of Minsk.
The reason for the rally was the anniversary of the creation of the Belarusian People’s Republic (BNR), which lasted from March to December 1918. The action gathered an asset and supporters of Belarusian nationalist organizations. Not so long ago, such a rally would have been dispersed by the Minsk OMON, and now the nationalists have been given the "green light". What happened to the legendary Old Man, who was always so friendly to Russia?
In the distant 1990s, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko gained incredible popularity not only in Belarus, but also in Russia precisely because he spoke under the slogans of integration of the two states. Many Russian patriots and leftists even predicted him as president, dreamed that in the union state a young and energetic "father" will replace Boris Yeltsin as president. It is possible that Alexander Grigoryevich himself was thinking of such a “career”. At least, he spoke very definitely about the status of the Russian language in Belarus and generally showed everyone that Russia and Belarus are one people and they have one destiny. The Old Man harshly suppressed nationalist organizations, even the West could not put repressions against the Belarusian opposition. But when Vladimir Putin became president of Russia in 2000, political the course of Belarus has undergone quite rapid changes. Realizing that he could not occupy the presidency in Moscow, Alexander Lukashenko began to strive for rapprochement with the West. This was immediately reflected in language policy - signs in the Belarusian language were streaming on the streets of the cities, and Lukashenko himself, who in the nineties argued that the Belarusian language was poor, began to regularly call for its more active use.
The final turn occurred after the reunification of Crimea with Russia. Once positioning itself as Russia's most important ally, Lukashenko defiantly did not support reunification, and militiamen from Belarus fighting in the Donbass had problems with the Belarusian KGB. In the new political situation, Belarusian nationalists received carte blanche and immediately reanimated. Militarized youth organizations appeared, and national holidays of the Ukrainian type, such as “Embroidered Day”, were frequented. Now nationalists are collaborating with the authorities, supporting its anti-Russian turn.
Plays its role and economy - Russia imposes sanctions on Belarusian goods, trying to stop the “double game”. As you know, after the imposition of sanctions, Belarus, using its privileges, simply began to import goods from the EU countries and transport them to Russia, nullifying the very meaning of Moscow’s retaliatory measures against European countries.
It seems that now it is Russia, and not the West, that Minsk is considered the main enemy. The situation in Belarus is rapidly developing according to the Ukrainian scenario, and if in Kiev for the nationalist turn it was necessary to overthrow Viktor Yanukovych, then in Minsk the charismatic Lukashenko can lead him himself.
The reason for the rally was the anniversary of the creation of the Belarusian People’s Republic (BNR), which lasted from March to December 1918. The action gathered an asset and supporters of Belarusian nationalist organizations. Not so long ago, such a rally would have been dispersed by the Minsk OMON, and now the nationalists have been given the "green light". What happened to the legendary Old Man, who was always so friendly to Russia?
In the distant 1990s, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko gained incredible popularity not only in Belarus, but also in Russia precisely because he spoke under the slogans of integration of the two states. Many Russian patriots and leftists even predicted him as president, dreamed that in the union state a young and energetic "father" will replace Boris Yeltsin as president. It is possible that Alexander Grigoryevich himself was thinking of such a “career”. At least, he spoke very definitely about the status of the Russian language in Belarus and generally showed everyone that Russia and Belarus are one people and they have one destiny. The Old Man harshly suppressed nationalist organizations, even the West could not put repressions against the Belarusian opposition. But when Vladimir Putin became president of Russia in 2000, political the course of Belarus has undergone quite rapid changes. Realizing that he could not occupy the presidency in Moscow, Alexander Lukashenko began to strive for rapprochement with the West. This was immediately reflected in language policy - signs in the Belarusian language were streaming on the streets of the cities, and Lukashenko himself, who in the nineties argued that the Belarusian language was poor, began to regularly call for its more active use.
The final turn occurred after the reunification of Crimea with Russia. Once positioning itself as Russia's most important ally, Lukashenko defiantly did not support reunification, and militiamen from Belarus fighting in the Donbass had problems with the Belarusian KGB. In the new political situation, Belarusian nationalists received carte blanche and immediately reanimated. Militarized youth organizations appeared, and national holidays of the Ukrainian type, such as “Embroidered Day”, were frequented. Now nationalists are collaborating with the authorities, supporting its anti-Russian turn.
Plays its role and economy - Russia imposes sanctions on Belarusian goods, trying to stop the “double game”. As you know, after the imposition of sanctions, Belarus, using its privileges, simply began to import goods from the EU countries and transport them to Russia, nullifying the very meaning of Moscow’s retaliatory measures against European countries.
It seems that now it is Russia, and not the West, that Minsk is considered the main enemy. The situation in Belarus is rapidly developing according to the Ukrainian scenario, and if in Kiev for the nationalist turn it was necessary to overthrow Viktor Yanukovych, then in Minsk the charismatic Lukashenko can lead him himself.
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