DISINFO: The West attempted to organise a revolution in Belarus using Ukrainian weapons
SUMMARY
After 2014, in its attempts to organize a colour revolution in Belarus, the West started using Ukraine more actively than before. In March 2017 Belarusian radical nationals attempted to organise mass disorders in Minsk thanks to Ukraine-originated arms and Ukrainian supporters. A group of fighters tried to break through the border from Ukraine. Grenades and explosives were found in their car.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory. The disinformation message is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the Western attempts to instigate colour revolutions in EU neighbourhood.
Repeating disinformation spread in 2017 in Belarus during the street protests in the spring. In 2017 Belarus' state-owned mass media (BelTA) published an article “Militants staging a provocation detained in Belarus”, with other publications reporting about weapons allegedly confiscated from the accused. Investigators found no evidence to confirm accusations and the criminal prosecution of all those arrested in relation to the case was closed in late November 2017.
Furthermore, the message reported by Belarusian state-owned media about an alleged attempt by people with weapons in an SUV to break through the Ukrainian-Belarusian border on March 20, 2017 was also seriously questioned. The Ukrainian border control did not confirm this information and Belarusian officials never revealed any further details, including the names of the detainees or any other details pertinent to the case.