DISINFO: Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine attempted to stage a coup in Belarus
SUMMARY
Belarusian politicians and activists, who fled abroad following the coup attempt in Belarus, are toxic for the neighbouring countries. The three main countries where Belarusian activists fled - Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine - contributed to the coup's organisation in Belarus and continue attempts to destabilise the country.
Poland wished to bring Belarus into the anti-Russian project Intermarium, to benefit from the destruction of the Belarusian economy, and to get demographic benefits. However, Poland, as well as Lithuania and Ukraine, are losing more than they are getting.
RESPONSE
This article contains recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus and Poland's imperial and hostile plans towards Belarus.
There is no basis for the claims that Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine tried to organise a coup in Belarus or that they are trying to destabilise the country. They respect the principles of international law and do not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country.
Widespread protests have started in Belarus in August 2020. These were triggered by discontent with the results of the Belarusian presidential elections in August 2020 which were not monitored by independent experts, were neither free nor fair and rigged a victory for Lukashenka who then claimed to be re-elected as president for the sixth consecutive time since 1994.
The EU member states perceive the situation in Belarus in a unanimous way, appealing to the Belarusian authorities to stop violence, release political prisoners and organise democratic elections in Belarus.
As for the Intermarium project mentioned in the publication, the Three Seas Initiative, also known as the Baltic, Adriatic, Black Sea (BABS) Initiative, is a forum of twelve states in the European Union, located in Central and Eastern Europe. The initiative aims to create a regional dialogue on a variety of questions affecting the member states, primarily transport, energy, and digital. Read more about the present-day view on the Intermarium geopolitical concept here and here.
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.