DISINFO: Poland and the run-away Belarusian opposition may organise a coup in Belarus
SUMMARY
Over the past few years, the situation around Belarus has significantly deteriorated. NATO countries, primarily Poland, have stopped hiding their aggressive plans against Belarus. Their special services and the run-away Belarusian opposition have intensified their efforts to destabilise the situation inside the country. In this situation, the Belarusian authorities are facing new security challenges also coming from Ukraine, a hotbed of terrorists and extremists.
These security challenges emerge in connection to the February 25 Parliamentary elections in Belarus – the run-away opposition and its Western supervisors may make another attempt to destabilise the situation in the country, but also to organise a coup in Belarus.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about supposed Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus.
There is no basis for the claims that Poland (targeted in this claim) or the Baltic states and Ukraine are trying to overthrow the current Belarusian authorities.
Poland is a neighbour of Belarus, and it continues to support the Belarusian people. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country.
There is no evidence that Belarusian citizens living in Poland are taking part in combat training. The Belarusian citizens, who were forced to leave their country because of Lukashenka’s repression, promote their political agenda through various civilian (not military) actions (founding NGOs, public associations, organising peaceful manifestations, etc.).
For example, BYPOL was founded in 2020 in the wake of unprecedented mass protests questioning official presidential election results giving a victory and sixth term to Lukashenka earlier in the year as explained by Radio Liberty. It goes on to explain that the group comprises of former law enforcement officers, who have said that the group was created to investigate police brutality during the violent dispersal of the anti-Lukashenka rallies and to convince active police officers to “take the Belarusian people’s side”.
The EU member states appeal to the Belarusian authorities to stop violence, release political prisoners and organise democratic elections in Belarus.
Belarusian authorities frequently accuse Poland of harbouring territorial ambitions, an allegation that seems to be a deliberate attempt to shift attention away from Minsk's complicity in allowing Belarusian territory to be used for Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
For more details, see our in-depth analysis here.
See also All roads lead to Poland for further details of how Poland, one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine, is among the favourite targets of pro-Kremlin disinformation efforts.
See other examples of similar messages: Poland and Lithuania directly sponsor extremist actions against Belarus, Poland and Lithuania send Belarusian opposition instructions on how to make explosives and CIA, and Pentagon prepares Belarusian protestors in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states.