Belarusians, Ukrainians Decide How To Fight Russia’s Hybrid Expansion

A unique conference was held in the Kyiv City Council.

Threatening the independence of Belarus, Russia actually threatens Ukraine, and imperial ambitions can only be resisted by joint efforts - creating a common information front and the Baltic-Black Sea Union, Belsat reports.

The Belarusian opposition in Kyiv met with the Ukrainian in the framework of the international expert discussion “Hybrid war of the Russian Federation against Belarus”.

The event was held on February 7 in the premises of the Kyiv City Council, its organizers were the analytical center Ukrainian Strategic Research Studios and the Razam solidarity movement.

Belarus was mainly represented by the opposition, the website ussd.org.ua reports:

Ryhor Kastusyou, chairman of the BPF party,

Viachaslau Siuchyk, leader of the Razam solidarity movement,

Alena Talstaya, Co-Chair of the Razam solidarity movement,

Dzianis Ivashyn, the Razam solidarity movement, Head of the Belarusian InformNapalm service,

Ihar Lialkou, the Razam Solidarity Movement, BPF Party,

Siarhei Bulba, The White Legion.

Ukraine was represented by:

Yuri Sirotyuk, People's Deputy of the VII convocation, Director of the National Center “USSD”,

Oleh Tyahnibok, Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Association “Freedom”,

Roman Bessmertnyi, Vice Prime Minister (2005), Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus (2010-2011),

Ihor Likhovoi, Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus (2007-2010),

Viktor Gvozd, Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service (2014-2016), President of the Borisfen Intel Independent Analytical Center for Geopolitical Research,

Yuri Mindyuk, Foundation for the Support of Democratic Initiatives, Intermarium Information Center,

Viktor Yagunei, Major General of the reserve, ex-deputy chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine (2014-2015) director of the Agency for Security Sector Reform.

Facebook user Aleh Auchynnikau published a video broadcast from the conference.

What were they talking about?

The authorities of Belarus enjoyed economic preferences from Russia for too long, and became completely dependent on it. The authoritarianism of Lukashenka, the lack of strong national forces in Belarus, and the presence of strong pro-Russian sentiments, according to Ukrainian politicians, only contribute to the implementation of the Russian scenario.

“Our countries are young, they want to enter the civilized world, and the Kremlin military is doing everything to prevent this from happening,” said former Ukrainian ambassador to Minsk, politician Roman Bessmertnyi. “And the main goal for this is the revival of the empire, since the Kremlin, as a state without imperial ideology, cannot exist without the seizure of our territories.”

The creation of a single information space with Belarus, Poland and the Baltic countries, according to Ukrainians, is a strategic task for everyone who wants to get rid of the Russian influence. At the same time, Ukraine is warning Belarusians against associating Lukashenka with state sovereignty, and trusting the latest liberalization signals.

“Today’s behavior of Lukashenka is aimed at making every Belarusian manifest themselves. To reveal their position in big and small things. Remember 2010, when in the spring, for some reason, Belarus started talking about democracy. How did it end on the election night? 648 people were arrested, the vast majority of these citizens are now abroad,” recalls Bessmertnyi.

Representatives of the Belarusian Popular Front and the Razam solidarity movement, as well as Ukrainian politicians, researchers, and former political prisoners of the Kremlin, attended the meeting in the Kyiv city administration. The leader of the Freedom party, Oleh Tyahnibok, said:

“There have been very interesting facts regarding the presence of the Russian armed forces, and their instructors on the territory of Belarus, their activities, the information war that is already underway - such an exchange of information will greatly help us in joint steps.”

According to Viktor Gvozd, Belarus and Ukraine should join forces in the fight against the Russian expansion:

“The main areas of such work can be the exchange of information on the forms and methods of the hybrid war by Russia, and coordination of measures to counter it. A high-level joint working group may be created, but since we see that our government does not take this initiative sufficiently, such work must begin at the level of public organizations, politicians and individual political forces.

Belarus is our strategic partner and everlasting neighbor. The Belarusian nation is mentally and historically close to Ukrainians since the time of medieval Russia, and then the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. For centuries, we have resisted external invasion, primarily from the east. In the 20th century, Ukrainian politicians and thinkers constantly pondered the importance of independent Belarus to contain Moscow’s claims, and provided effective support to the liberation fighters. That is why the increasing influence of Moscow, the threats to the statehood of Belarus concern Ukraine so deeply.

It should be recognized that after the real construction of the so-called “union state”, there will be Russian troops 100 km away from Kyiv. All sorts of troops, from sabotage to military strategic.

The return of Minsk to the circle of peoples of the Central-Eastern Europe is a key moment of common security, the building of an effective Baltic-Black Sea Union on the vertical principle of “north-south”.

What will these steps be?

“First of all, this is an informational campaign and appeals - to the citizens of Belarus, to the citizens of Ukraine, and to citizens of the Russian Federation. They should also be aware of their leadership plans. Appeals to the European countries, the USA,” lists Chairman of the BPF party Ryhor Kastusyou.

Although, according to the speakers, Russia understands only the language of power, the confrontation with it must begin with horizontal ties, the creation of associations, albeit of a non-military nature at the beginning.

“First - a voluntary battalion, you take a handful of youth in your city and grow them, make a club, no one forbids you - a tourist, military-patriotic club, it will unite them,” calls the creator of the White Legion Siarhei Bulba. “Any common cause brings people together. This is what we need today.”

At the same time, it is necessary to for the countries to unite, because, as noted at the meeting, the fate of Belarus is partially determined in Ukraine, as well as the fate of Ukraine - in Belarus.