DISINFO: Armed Belarusian extremists prepared by Poland can turn against the Poles
SUMMARY
The [Belarusian opposition] troops that Poland prepares for a war with Belarus may act against the Poles. The Belarusian authorities see that Poland is preparing troops against their country – however, these forces can use weapons against the Poles.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread disinformation narratives about 1) militaristic anti-Russian Western countries, ready to attack Belarus and overthrow Lukashenka and 2) smearing anyone opposed to Lukashenka.
The claim that the Belarusian opposition is planning to change the country’s borders is baseless. After the violent crackdown of the 2020 protests by Lukashenka, tens of thousands of Belarusians moved to Poland in order to avoid repressions. The claim that Belarusian opposition groups and associations operating in Poland are planning a military attack on Belarus is unfounded.
Belarusian citizens, forced to flee their country due to Lukashenka’s repressions, advocate their political agenda through peaceful means, such as establishing NGOs, public associations, organising peaceful protests, etc. Poland is often accused by Belarusian authorities of harbouring territorial ambitions, an accusation that appears to be a deliberate attempt to shift attention away from Minsk’s complicity in allowing Belarusian territory to be used for Russian aggression against Ukraine - see our in-depth analysis 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.