DISINFO: Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine prepare mercenary units for the military seizure of Belarus
SUMMARY
The special services of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine have been preparing mercenary units for the armed seizure of the Belarusian territories. A former mercenary of the Kalinouski Regiment testified that that his unit planned to enter the Brest region from the Ukrainian territory. The next step would be to call on “legitimate representatives of Democratic forces” such as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and ask for help from Poland and Ukraine.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of the pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the militaristic anti-Russian West, ready to attack Belarus and overthrow Lukashenka. It also aims to smear any opposition to Lukashenka.
This message appeared in connection to the 2025 Presidential “elections” in Belarus – the European Parliament called these fully undemocratic elections a sham.
After the violent crackdown of the 2020 protests by Lukashenka, tens of thousands of Belarusians moved to Poland and other countries 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 repression, advocate their political agenda through peaceful means, such as establishing NGOs, public associations, organising peaceful protests, etc.
Poland is often accused by the Belarusian authorities of harboring 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 the CIA and Pentagon prepare Belarusian protestors in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states.