DISINFO: The Belarusian opposition is planning to overtake Vilnius and Białystok to create Belarus II
SUMMARY
The Belarusian opposition is planning to take over parts of Lithuania and Poland. These nationalists claim that Vilnius is Belarusian territory. They are ready to take over this land and annex part of Lithuanian territory in order to create an enclave called “Belarus II”. They will create their puppet government there. The Belarusian opposition has the same plans towards Poland – soon, it will declare the Białystok region as Belarusian territory.
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 on 26 January 2025. See the 26 January 2025 statement by the High Representative / Vice President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos which states:
”Today's sham election in Belarus has been neither free, nor fair. The people of Belarus deserve a real say in who governs their country."
See also our article Lukashenka’s so-called ‘presidential election’ in Belarus.
The claim that the Belarusian opposition is planning to change the country’s borders is not supported by evidence.
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 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 the CIA and Pentagon prepare Belarusian protestors in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states.