Counter-Sanctions by Lukashenko

Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council.

How the Regime Harms Belarusians While Profiting from Its Own Sanctions

State propaganda often repeats the narrative: "It’s all because of Western sanctions", or "The West is strangling Belarus". But the truth is that the main economic and social blows to the population are not caused by external sanctions, but by the regime’s own response — its counter-sanctions.

EU sanctions primarily target specific officials, security forces, and enterprises involved in repression, military aggression, and human rights violations. But under the guise of "responding to the West", the regime strikes at its own citizens.

Back in 2021, Belarus imported fresh or chilled potatoes worth $12 million USD, including from Ukraine, Germany, and the Netherlands. But in 2022, Lukashenko ordered a ban on the import of various agricultural products from the EU — including potatoes and onions. The justification: "retaliatory measures". In reality: a deliberate disruption of logistics, rising prices, and empty shelves. Lukashenko’s counter-sanctions are not about protecting the economy; they are about self-isolation — which hits the poorest the hardest.

This decision had no economic logic. It was driven by political motives: "If you sanction us, we’ll strike back". But who suffered as a result? Not the officials in Brussels, nor the politicians in Berlin, Warsaw, or Vilnius. The people who suffered were Belarusians.

In the spring of 2025, without admitting any mistakes, the regime lifted the ban on importing potatoes, onions, as well as cabbage and apples. Why? Because it became impossible to hide the failure — there was simply nothing left to sell. Even regime-loyal agricultural managers started sounding the alarm as supply chains collapsed. Prices hit every layer of society, and public outrage grew: how could potatoes become a luxury in Belarus?

This is a forced retreat in the face of reality — a reality that can no longer be painted over with slogans. It’s an acknowledgment of the total failure of the counter-sanctions policy, a recognition of defeat. But, as always, it came with no apologies and no reflection on past mistakes.

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