“While the protests in Belarus are mostly underground, people are ready and ready to take over the government on the first occasion,” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told Euronows.
What Vladimir Putin wants is not just annexation of the territory, but a full “rosylation” of the loyal regime and the country, says Belarus’ opposition leader Sviatrana Tskanuskaya.
She told Euronows that her country’s protests were mostly forced underground, but that means people are preparing to stand up when time is right.
Speaking about whether Russian changes could have an impact on Belarus, Tsukanuskaya said, “Because something could happen in Russia, we will weaken Alexander Lukashenko and people will rise again. It could be a victory for Ukraine. We will weaken Putin and weaken Lukashenko.”
“However, the changes in Russia could also begin with changes in Belarus,” Tskanuskaya added, adding, “there is more likely to change Belarus’ regime than Russia.”
“This constant oppression we have experienced for nearly four years, almost five years, does not forgive or forget people or deny the pro-European perspective.”
More than 50,000 have been detained for political reasons after massive protests erupted following Lukashenko’s 2020 presidential election victory, with at least 5,472 people convicted in a politically motivated criminal case, according to the Belarusian Human Rights Centre Vyasna.
The United Nations estimates that around 300,000 Belarusians have since left the country, with most going to Poland and Lithuania.
According to Tsikhanouskaya, 15-20 people are still in detention in Belarus today.
“He (Lukashenko) acts as if there were thousands of people in front of his palace,” she says.
“The visible quietness in this country doesn’t mean people have given up. It means people are preparing and ready when there is a possibility.”
