More than half of the Belarusians believe that they do not deserve the same negative as the Russians from Western countries, and only 15% of those surveyed are blamed for the war in Ukraine. These are the results of the social survey of the British center Chatham House, which were presented on Friday, May 6, by Hryhoriy Astapenya, director of the “Belarusian Initiative” of Chatham House.
Belarusians believe they are not to blame for the conflict in Ukraine
The Chatham House study on the attitude of Belarus to the war in Ukraine was conducted in mid-April 2022. With the help of online interviews, 823 respondents from among the residents of the cities of Belarus were interviewed, who representatively populated the urban population by gender, age, size with certain and certain levels of education.
Grigory Astapenya
As Grigory Astapenya said, the Belarusian society is divided as to whether it is right or not to touch Russia in Ukraine. About 40% do not detect the actions of the Russian army, while 32% of respondents declared support. “At the same time, the survey shows that 39% believe that the operation is successful or rather successful, and 33%, on the contrary, the actions of the army are assessed as unsuccessful,” Astapenya explained.
Assessing the responsibility of ordinary citizens of the Republic of Belarus for this war, 54% said that they do not believe that Belarusians deserve a negative attitude from Western countries. In addition, only 15% to some extent agreed with the statement that “ordinary Belarusians are also guilty of armed actions against Ukraine being carried out from the territory of Belarus”, while 62% of respondents gave the opposite answer.
“Those who do not show Russia’s sharp action more often say that the Belarusians are to blame for the conflict, but more often they think that the Belarusians do not deserve a negative attitude towards themselves,” Astapenya noted, commenting on the poll.
Only a quarter of the respondents confirmed Lukashenka’s words about a “preemptive strike.”
The study also showed that Belarusians have hardly changed their minds about their possible participation in the war in Ukraine. If during the March poll only 3% support such participation in the conflict on the side of Russia, then in this poll 6% were mentioned for it, which, according to Grigory Astapen, does not exceed the margin of error.
Alexander Lukashenko
If we talk about the conclusion of Belarus in faith, then only 11% of respondents believe that the conflict can spread to many Belarus. “Also, a quarter of Belarusians confirmed in the statement of Alexander Lukashenko, which has become a meme, that “if Belarus had not had a premature preventive strike, Ukraine would have attacked the Belarusian troops,” Astapenya added.
In addition, respondents do not think that Belarusian troops are involved in the conflict in Ukraine, but more genders (57%) fear that Russia could drag Belarus into this war.
Belarusians, Americans, residents of Ukraine
In exceptional cases, there are answers to questions, possible options for the behavior of the military personnel of the Belarusian army in the event of a situation.
“Only a quarter of the Belarusian society believes that the servicemen were actively involved in the armed conflict against Ukraine. All other options, who scored 10-22%, take various options for non-participation in the situation – constructions, surrender, refusal to comply with the order. , which in there is no awareness in society of what the Belarusian army will do if Belarus decides to enter the war on the side of Russia,” said the director of the Belarusian Initiative Chatham House.
Also, the survey participants reacted rather positively to the fact that if the Belarusian army refused to fight, they would obey orders and lay down their arms: only a quarter of Belarusians.”
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The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
For helping in the war
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western countries imposed unprecedented sanctions not only on Moscow, but also on Minsk – for complicity in the war. The EU blacklist includes 22 military leaders from Belarus, including assistant defense minister Leonid Kasinsky and Igor Mozhilovsky. Earlier, another 20 officials and military personnel were banned from entering the EU and their accounts and property were frozen on its territory.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Wood, cement, tobacco
The EU has expanded restrictions on the supply of dual-use goods and technologies to Belarus, as well as goods and technologies that regulate the development of the military and defense security of the Republic of Belarus. The export from Belarus of products made of cement, iron, steel and rubber, potassium chloride, as well as the import of goods for tobacco products, internal combustion and other products into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Euro banknotes
Three Belarusian banks – Belagroprombank, Dabrabyt and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, as well as their subsidiaries, were disconnected from the SWIFT system. The EU banned transactions with the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, as well as the financing of trade and investment in the country. low prices allow banks to accept deposits from Belarusian citizens in excess of 100,000 euros. The EU will also not supply euro banknotes to Belarus.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Funding programs
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has suspended the access of Russia and Belarus to their finances and expertise. This means refusing to finance new projects. In addition, the bank enjoys all the rights to suspend or cancel payments for existing projects. Earlier, the EBRD closed its offices in Moscow and Minsk. All their programs in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus and the World Bank.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
US sanctions
The United States introduced against 24 Belarusian individuals and legal entities involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Among them are two state-owned banks – Belinvestbank and Dabrabyt, as well as a number of defense industry enterprises and security agencies. Personal sanctions affected the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus Viktora Khrenin, State Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Volfovich and businessman Alexander Zaitsev from Lukashenka’s entourage.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Defense, aerospace and maritime sector
On April 1, Washington was included in the sanctions list of organizations associated with the defense, aerospace and maritime sectors. Among the Belarusian organizations and enterprises that fell into it are the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, the Alfa association of the KGB, the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, the State Military Industrial Committee of the Republic, Agat-Electromechanical Plant OJSC, Beltechexport CJSC and others.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Luxury items
In addition, the US Department of Commerce banned the supply of 600 types of luxury items not only in Russia, but also in Belarus. The embargo includes alcohol, cosmetics, perfumes, clothes, accessories, shoes, furs, bags, carpets, antiques, jewelry, motorcycles and cars.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Swiss sanctions
Switzerland also tightened sanctions against Belarus. The export to Belarus of dual-use goods and goods that meet the standards of the military-technical development of Belarus is prohibited. The list of sanctioned products for import from Belarus has also been expanded: these are products made of wood, rubber, iron, steel and cement. A ban on financing trade and investment in the Republic of Belarus, as well as transactions with the National Bank.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Japanese embargo
Japan imposed an embargo on exports to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus of almost 300 types of goods and technologies: semiconductors, equipment for communications and oil refining, modern types of materials, programs for machine tools. The black list includes 12 organizations, including Synesis and Beltechexport, and 12 individuals – Alexander Lukashenko’s sons Viktor and Dmitry, Lukashenka’s press secretary Natalya Eismont, Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov and others.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
The Lukashenka family is blacklisted in Australia
The Australian Foreign Ministry put on Alexander Lukashenko, his wife Galina and son Viktor (pictured left). In addition, the Australian government has abolished the right to most favored nation (MFN) tariff treatment. From April 25, additional customs duties in the amount of 35% on the import of goods from Russia and Belarus begin to operate in the country.
The war in Ukraine and the verdict of the West against Minsk
Other calls of the West against Belarus
New cases of application to a number of restrictions adopted against Minsk for complicity in illegal cases, in which the West accuses the Lukashenka regime. In addition, the sanctions were introduced in response to the dispersal of global protests and ongoing repression in Belarus after the 2020 elections. Read about them in the article “Migrants, Ryanair, repression: what are the demands of the West against Minsk?”