Natalya Zaderkovskaya, the NAM's representative for social and cultural endeavors, discussed the work, development and future prospects of the Museum of Free Belarus in Warsaw in an interview Reform.by A year ago, on July 17, 2022, the grand opening of the Museum of Free Belarus took place in a historic building at 11 Foksal Street in the center of Warsaw. The basis for its creation was the realization that the participants in the protest movement had collected a large number of documents and artifacts of historical and cultural value. The idea of creating the Museum of Free Belarus was developed by the National Anti-Crisis Management, and Natalya Zaderkovskaya, who is responsible for social and cultural issues at the NAM, became the project manager. Highlights of the interview: - We were impressed by how many artifacts remained after the events of 2020. Therefore, a desire arose to preserve them, first to make a temporary exhibition in Warsaw, and after the victory to bring them to Belarus, to make a separate museum there or a collection in the Museum of Local Lore. - When we got the premises, the priorities expanded. The site became very popular with creative people, and offers to hold exhibitions immediately began to pour in. After that, there were proposals to show performances. - July 22, we want to open the continuation of the exhibition of Igor Tishin. The creator then developed the idea of broken walls between two moments. This year's exhibition will be the fruit of his reflections on Belarus, on the events that have taken place this year. Its working title is Edge to Edge. The exposition will open simultaneously with the celebration of the anniversary of the Museum, which we will solemnly celebrate on Saturday, July 22. We invite you to visit us on this day. There will be not only the opening of the exhibition, but also a concert, a playground, and an art market. - The space will remain multifunctional, first of all, it will continue to work as a cultural center. Sometimes this is difficult because, for example, for many artists it is important that the site function as a gallery. So it was with the artist Temra and her exhibition "Lazaret". We spent three weeks only on its exposition, during which nothing was done here. The interest caused by the exhibition confirmed the correctness of our decision. But we cannot always find such an opportunity. - I would like to remain the platform that brings people back to the Belarusian agenda, supports it so that Belarusians do not forget why we are here. - To date, the platform is not supported by any European foundation. The museum was and remains a NAM's project, and its belonging to a certain political structure, on the one hand, helps a lot, on the other hand, it creates difficulties in interacting with funds focused on supporting only cultural projects. But I think that the year of work showed the absence of any involvement, the museum is actually a very open area, and also showed our ability to do great cultural projects. You can read the full version of the interview with Natalya Zaderkovskaya at link If you have the opportunity and desiresupport the work of the Museum of Free Belarus

Latushko announced a "significant step" in the investigation of crimes against Belarusians protestors Original article: zerkalo.io Together with Lithuania, a “significant step” is being prepared to investigate crimes against Belarusians in 2020, reported Pavel Latushko, head of the National Anti-Crisis Managment and representative of the UTC of Belarus for the Transition of Power. “The National Anti-Crisis Managment, together with partners from Lithuania, are planning to take a significant step in the near future aimed at initiating an investigation of crimes affecting almost every Belarusian affected by the events of 2020”, — said Latushko. He explained that it is planned to act "within the framework of one of the available international criminal justice mechanisms. “And that is also our top priority. These are already huge, huge volumes of documents,”, Latushko added. In addition, in his video, he recalled that it was his team that handed over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague materials about the abduction of Ukrainian children and their removal to Belarus. According to Latushko, Alexander Lukashenko, State Secretary of the Union State Dmitry Mezentsev, head of the fund named after himself Aleksey Talai and General Director of Belaruskali Ivan Golovaty are involved in these actions. Recall that the European Parliament recently called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to consider the possibility of issuing a warrant for the arrest of Alexander Lukashenko. It is stated that Belarus is responsible for the damage caused to Ukraine in connection with the war and the crimes committed there, including because of the role of the Belarusian authorities in the illegal removal of children from the occupied Ukrainian territories. Before that, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for measures to hold the regime accountable for the kidnapping of Ukrainian children and their removal to the territory of Belarus, saying that there is evidence of this collected by Pavel Latushko's team. According to her, "The International Criminal Court, having issued a warrant for the arrest of Putin, should issue the same warrant for the arrest of Lukashenka for aggressive crimes and crimes against humanity. Secretary General of the Belarusian Red Cross Dmitry Shevtsov openly confirmed that the organization is involved in the removal of children from Ukraine to Belarus.

Your visit to Ukraine gave an impulse to the activation of Belarusian-Ukrainian relations. How do you assess the current dialogue between the Belarusian democratic forces and Ukraine? Original article: t.me/boost1084 Today, the Belarusian-Ukrainian relations can be defined as a status of opportunities. It seems that at the moment we see a mutual interest in expanding communication. Tactically, we now have a common enemy, which is already a strong reason for cooperation. Strategically, we are neighboring countries, whose very geographical position, due to the existence of Russia, leaves only 2 options for relations. It’s either friends or enemies. It is clear that as long as the regime of Lukashenko, the regime of the aggressor, the regime of Russia's satellite exists, it is impossible to talk about the friendship of our countries. But it is obvious that this situation does not correspond to the national interests of either Ukraine or Belarus, the interests of Belarusians and Ukrainians. And in my opinion, the concept of converting a Lublin triangle into a Lublin square corresponds to them. In which Belarus is a partner, ally and friend of Ukraine in the real meaning of the word. Today, Ukraine is struggling with the aggression of Russia, which was supported by the Lukashenko regime. We are fighting against the regime of Lukashenko and the Russian occupier. And these are two goals that unite us. We also share a common understanding of the future - a future in the European Union and NATO. Belarusians, like Ukrainians, who have already built a democratic society in advance, want to live in a democratic system of governance and development of relations in society. We have an absolute understanding of the strategic interest in Ukraine's victory in this terrible war. But this is not only about politics, but first of all about the moral choice, as the fight against evil is the basis of the moral choice of the majority of Belarusians. And political strategy is already imposed on it, because the victory of Ukraine certainly opens a window of opportunities for us and creates preconditions for changes in Belarus. But it is important that we are not just in a state of expectation of this victory. Belarusians are also trying to contribute to Ukraine's victory, as it will be a victory for Belarusians as well. But it is clear that our contribution can be much greater, and it’s a challenge for us first of all. Lukashenko mentioned you in the context of the case of the kidnapping of Ukrainian children. How quickly should he expect a warrant from the International Criminal Court? Our team of the National Anti-Crisis Management has submitted an appeal to the ICC Prosecutor's Office in The Hague in accordance with Article 15 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the facts of systematic commission of war crimes by Lukashenko and his associates on the illegal transfer of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the territory of Belarus. The second component of these war crimes is the re-education of Ukrainian children using the Russian and Belarusian regime propaganda machine with the narratives of the “Russian world". Our primary goals are: first is to stop the crimes; second (and it is also the first) is to help Ukraine return the children to their homeland; and third is to bring the perpetrators to justice. After all, as long as there is no responsibility or a real threat of its use, it is difficult to count on the suppression of crimes. Our lawyers presented a tremendous evidence base, which we have shared and will continue to share with the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine and the ICC Prosecutor's Office. We know that criminal cases on the facts of illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to the territory of Belarus have been opened in both Ukraine and Lithuania, but the qualification of these crimes, both in terms of national and international legislation, is exclusively the competence of prosecutors. Thus, we are striking the first blow against the Lukashenko regime. The second blow is the submission in the near future, together with our Lithuanian partners, of a report on the facts of crimes against humanity. Prosecution for these crimes is also provided by the relevant norms of the Rome Statute of the ICC. For example, the forced deportation of Belarusians who were made to leave the territory of the country due to political and other persecution. This is another important element that should lead to international responsibility of Lukashenko personally and his accomplices. We will not stop on our way, we will do everything to put Lukashenko on trial in The Hague. But personally, as a politician, as a Belarusian, I believe that the best option would be a trial of Lukashenko on the territory of Belarus. A public, open one, so that the whole Belarusian society could see the face of this criminal with their own eyes, and Lukashenko will listen to the charges of Belarusian independent prosecutors on numerous facts of crimes committed by him and his associates. Are Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus and the Wagnerites combined threats, or should each of them be considered separately? They should be considered separately, but they are embedded in the system of threats created by the so-called Union State. It is under the cover of the Union State of Belarus and Russia that Lukashenko deploys nuclear weapons. It is under this cover that a regional grouping is being deployed. Wagner further complements these threats. A special consideration should be given to the role of the so-called Union State, which was seen by Lukashenko as an instrument of his potential accession to power in the Kremlin. And he started to fulfill this dream since the 90s, starting with the Treaty on the Creation of the Community of Belarus and Russia in 1996, then the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia in 1997 and, as a result, the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in 2000. But today we can state that the Union State turned out to be a much more terrible thing than Lukashenko's sick fantasies. Essentially, the Union State is an instrument of Russia's absorption of Belarus, an instrument of the Russian imperial policy. The absorption of Belarus through the Union State project is carried out by various methods: through ideological, informational, cultural, economic, political and other influences. But we single out military influence separately, despite the attempts of the Kremlin and Lukashenko to "sell" both to Belarusians and the world the Union State as an economic Union first of all. After all, it is now obvious that this "union" is a military one. And we strongly advise all those who do not understand this, who do not understand the essence of the Union State and its role in the preparation and conduct of the war against Ukraine, to get acquainted with the military doctrine of the Union State, which was actually updated on the eve of the war, on 4 November 2021. Today it is already obvious that the creation of the Union State turned out to be a terrible tragedy for Ukraine, because without Belarus as a part of Russia's imperial project, the very expansion of its imperial policy would have been impossible. But this is also a tragedy for Belarus, because under the auspices of the Union State, Belarusian independence is being liquidated before the eyes of the whole world. In many ways, today we can perceive Belarus as a Soviet-era Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, which has its place in the UN, its flag and formal borders on the map. But it does exactly what Moscow needs. We must also understand that Lukashenko is not only a tool in Putin's hands, but also a motivated individual who supports both the war against Ukraine and the civilizational division into the so-called “Russian world” and the democratic world in Europe. Lukashenko took advantage of the situation with Wagner, which unexpectedly gave him the opportunity to significantly increase his ratings and information presence in Russian society. But this tactical victory is already turning into a strategic defeat for Lukashenko. At that time, Lukashenko made inflated promises to Prigozhin to place the Wagnerites on the territory of Belarus and ensure their stay. But Lukashenka lacks both sufficient financial resources and the Kremlin's political motivation to support this scenario. Lukashenko and Putin are dictators. And dictator Putin will never apologize to Lukashenko, who tried to make his own PR on the Wagner story. That is why today tension between Lukashenko and Putin can be predicted, but in the future it means that Putin will make even more steps to subdue and control Lukashenko as much as possible, as he can become a relatively potential threat to his power in Russia and a person who will create a negative image of Putin in the eyes of Russians. Dictators do not forgive such media victories, and Putin will not forgive these actions of Lukashenko. We, the Belarusians, need to understand that the priority for us is to develop our forces. And these are three important and priority forces. The first one is the internal force: underground movement, activist efforts, even if today they are limited by the totalitarian system created by Lukashenko and mass repressions by the regime. But without motivation, without determination, without overcoming fear and willingness to take risks, this force cannot be built. And without internal strength it is impossible to count on changes in Belarus. Nobody will fight and liberate Belarus instead of Belarusians. But those who fight will be assisted. We see all this on the example of Ukraine and Ukrainians. Yes, the situations are different, even incomparable, but the same principle will work. And here it is important to note that the ground for potential assistance actually exists. Even the very words in the latest OSCE resolution, which emphasize the violent-imperial and colonial character of the state of the Russian Federation, which, among other things, is expressed in the soft annexation of Belarus, should be regarded as a signal for the Belarusians, who are ready for an active struggle for independence. After all, if such a struggle starts, there will immediately appear clear legal grounds for its appropriate recognition and international legal status of its participants. Accordingly, the right to seek help from the Western countries will arise. And they will have the right to help us. The second force is external: Belarusian volunteers, our heroes from Kalinouski's regiment and all Belarusian units, who are fighting for the restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine, but dream and publicly speak about the desire to liberate Belarus. This is what motivates Belarusian society today. It poses a threat to the regime. And this force will also be very important at a critical moment for change in Belarus. The third force is international pressure: starting from non-recognition of Lukashenko, recognition of democratic Belarus, use of international instruments of responsibility (arrest warrant for Lukashenko, criminal prosecution of criminals from his entourage and power structures, sanctions policy, harmonization of sanctions against Russia and Lukashenko's regime). An important point is international pressure on Russia's integration projects, starting with the Union State, creating the most toxic atmosphere around them. All this works to destabilize those institutions of Lukashenko's regime, which currently continue to hold and strengthen him. And at some point it will work to split the so-called elites, some of whom will again, as in 2020, inevitably face a choice - Lukashenko (and Russia) or an independent European Belarus. This choice will not necessarily be moral for them, it may be mercantile, but it must arise. After all, it will greatly simplify the conditions of struggle for the first two forces. Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Ambassador 9 July 2023, Warsaw

Comments by Pavel Latushka to Gazeta Wyborcza Original article: wyborcza.pl A Belarusian artist died in prison in Grodno "under unclear circumstances". - Unfortunately, this is not the last such terrible case," said the former Belarusian ambassador to Poland. - His death is a strong blow," said Pavel Latushka, former Belarusian ambassador to Poland. "Unfortunately, this is not the first, but also not the last such terrible case, because for Lukashenko a person does not matter," he adds. Opposition activist and political prisoner Ales Pushkin died on 11 July "under unclear circumstances." He was transported to the intensive care unit. He was 57 years old. Pushkin was in prison No. 1 in Hrodna after he was convicted by the Belarusian court in March 2022 under the article prohibiting the propaganda of Nazism. According to investigators of the Belarusan regime, Pushkin violated the ban by drawing and then displaying a portrait of Yevgeny Zhikhar , a Belarusian poet and anti-Soviet independence fighter, at an exhibition in Grodno. "Although his family does not yet know the details of his death, it is already known that he is another tragic victim of the Lukashenko regime," wrote Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Twitter. - Nowhere in Europe in the last 40-50 years have there been so many political prisoners as there are now in Belarus. Something so horrible is happening so close that one can kill a man in prison and no one will be punished for it. You can shoot, rape with a police baton.... We have at least a hundred such examples," Latushka said. The Human Rights Centre "Viasna" reports that the number of political prisoners in Belarus has reached an unprecedented level - more than 1,500 people.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that Belarus "is no longer independent, it is another province of the Russian Federation." The United Transitional Cabinet believes that this interpretation creates a wrong perception of Belarus in the world and contributes to further isolation of our country and our people. Belarus is not a province of Russia, and the Belarusian people will not allow it to become one. Belarus as a state is indeed losing its sovereignty by deepening its dependence on Russia. The criminal actions of the Russian leadership and Lukashenka's puppet regime have lead to it. However, this is happening contrary to the will of the Belarusian people, their desire for independence and freedom. The absolute majority of Belarusians are in favor of the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, against the accession of Belarus to the Russian Federation, as well as the participation in the aggression against Ukraine, unleashed with the support of the illegitimate regime of Lukashenka. Throughout their history, Belarusians have fought and are courageously fighting for the freedom and independence of their country and are helping Ukraine to achieve victory over Russia. The United Transition Cabinet welcomes the statement by the leaders of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia addressed to the Secretary General of NATO which claims that the Belarusian people need support. A democratic, free, independent European Belarus is important to the Alliance and to all our international partners. In this regard, the United Transitional Cabinet calls on the leadership of all allies of democratic Belarus to speak out for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus. Russia's actions to undermine the Belarusian sovereignty must be condemned and its leadership should be held accountable. The United Transitional Cabinet calls on the partner countries to take practical measures to support the Belarusian people in their resistance to dictatorship and to oppose Russia's attempts to incorporate our country.

This question is still very topical and has been the subject of much discussion. At the same time, I consider it really important and therefore I will try to formulate as concisely as possible the key points and questions without which the discussion on compensations, in my opinion, will never move from the emotional to the practical plane. While Lukashenko is in power, it is pointless to even speak about reparations, contribution or other forms of compensation. Lukashenko, absolutely for sure, will not compensate Ukraine, and that must be clearly understood, in order not to have any illusions. Accordingly, we proceed from the fact that Lukashenko will not be in power at this moment. Who will be after him? Again, if the regime remains in the person of, for example, Natalia Kochanova, or another pro-Russian successor or a Russian protege comes to replace Lukashenko, talking about reparations (or other forms of compensation) simply does not make sense. It is possible to talk about this only with a civilized democratic government that respects international law, unlike Russia and the Lukashenko regime. I think I will express here the general position of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus - we are 100% committed to international law. However, in order for the right of compensation to come, a decision of the tribunal is necessary, which will establish responsibility for aggression. So far, we do not see that the issue of the tribunal against the Republic of Belarus, where the state has been illegally usurped by the Lukashenka regime, has been discussed as widely and openly as the issue of compensation. At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is considering draft laws both on the recognition of Belarus as occupied and on the recognition of Belarus as an aggressor. Neither one nor the other draft bills have been considered. After the holding of the tribunal and the change of power in Belarus to a democratic government, it, following the norms of international law, will have to comply with the relevant decisions of the tribunal. Accordingly, it is important to start discussing the issue not from the end, but from the beginning. Otherwise, without solving the basic issues A, B and C (the official position of Ukraine, the tribunal and the change of power in Belarus), one can speculate for a long time on D and E (responsibility of Belarus and compensation), but this will remain only discussions. Pavel Latushka - head of the NAM Artsiom Brukhan -the NAM analyst

Today (10.07.2023) Deputy Head of the Joint Transitional Government of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Menagement Pavel Latushka met with Deputy Director of the Department of Trade and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Development and Technology of Poland Alexander Semashko and Head of the Department of Bilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Development and Technology of Poland Matej Falkowski. During the meeting, the parties discussed the problems of developing Belarusian business in Poland. Pavel Latushko made suggestions about: 1. Expanding the Poland Business Harbor Program to a wider range of entrepreneurs. To date, 93% of the more than 75,000 visas issued under this program have been issued to citizens of Belarus. In turn, representatives of the Polish side promised, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish Investment Agency, to consider the issue of simplifying the issuance of visas for representatives of other innovative businesses in addition to the IT sector. 2. Creating an educational program for those wishing to start their own business in Poland in the field of business rules and forms of support from the state, as well as a single information portal for Belarusians about the opportunities and requirements in the field of entrepreneurship. He also received a positive assessment from representatives of the ministry. Such programs are planned to be created both within the framework of the Polish Enterprise Development Agency and at the local level by local business development organizations and SEZs. The issue of creating a Belarusian version of the site business.gov.pl. 3. Relocation of Belarusian business to Poland as part of a more attractive tax regime compared to Belarus. Here, the Polish side expressed its readiness to provide Belarusian entrepreneurs with benefits for research and development, within the framework of the IP box program, for youth employment, etc. The issue of the activity of Belarusian entrepreneurs within the borders of 14 free economic zones existing in Poland was discussed. The idea of creating a bilateral consultative group on entrepreneurship development was also discussed with the Polish side. The Ministry of Development is ready to interact on a permanent basis with the Union Transitional Cabinet and Belarusian business associations within the framework of bilateral consultation meetings and in fact support the creation of the widest possible association of Belarusian business structures. The possibility of organizing a consultative meeting of a wide range of representatives of the Belarusian (Transitional Cabinet and business associations) and Poland (gray competent ministries, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Polish Agency for Investment and Trade) parties for the purpose of comprehensive consideration of issues was considered activity of Belarusian business in Poland.

The position of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus in connection with the appeal of the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia to the NATO Secretary General and to the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus welcomes the joint appeal of the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia to the NATO Secretary General and to the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance, urging them to take action to counter the threats posed by Russia’s aggressive actions and the evolving situation in Belarus. We consider it very important that our closest partners clearly understand the problems and threats emanating from Russia and the Lukashenko regime - both for Belarus and for regional security in general. We fully support the approach that the Alliance should use all possible means to counter these threats. And also that democratic, stable and prosperous Belarus, not subdued by Russia and exploited by the Kremlin’, is important to the Alliance. We emphasize the need for a proactive strategy of the countries - strategic allies of democratic Belarus to ensure the reliable protection of the independence of Belarus, to promote the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian society and democratic changes in Belarus during the transition period. We consider this statement of the three member states of the EU and NATO as a clear message in support of Belarus' sovereignty and the need for Belarus to withdraw from Russia's neo-imperial integration projects: the Union State, the CSTO, the EAEU and the CIS. And we note the need to bring the Lukashenko regime to justice for crimes against humanity, the crime of aggression against Ukraine, and war crimes related to the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children. July 8, 2023 Vilnius, Warsaw

Let's look at the Vancouver Declaration and the adopted resolutions of the OSCE PA in a broad sense. The first thing that is important to understand: these documents are essentially a tool for fixing political reality. As well as reflection and development of recommendations. That is why they say that the resolutions are advisory in nature and are not binding. At the same time, the content of the resolutions reflects public opinion - after all, they are adopted by deputies, that is, people's representatives, who are elected throughout the civilized world, and not appointed from above. From here we can say that these documents are also a tool for interaction between representative and executive bodies, a kind of tool for controlling the work of executive bodies by the society and reporting the former to the latter. After all, despite the optionality for execution, these documents are further evaluated point by point by experts in the designated areas. That is, it can be called the starting point for an expert study of the issues and issues raised, their analysis, and the development of appropriate approaches to them. And, perhaps, the adoption of certain decisions by the executive bodies. And in this case, such resolutions can form, among other things, their justification. For us, of course, the most important are concrete practical actions, but we should not devalue the very fact of the adoption of such documents for the reasons that we are talking about above - fixing the political situation (as in the proverb about the pen and the ax) and the formation of a public views on the issues and concerns raised. Because in the civilized world, public opinion matters. It defines the policy. Therefore, in the case of the soft annexation of Belarus thesis, the most important thing is that civilized society and countries increasingly understand the aggressive, imperial nature of the policy of the Russian Federation - and with this comes understanding that this policy also applies to Belarus. That is, the fact of political recognition of the situation associated with the gradual accession of Belarus to Russia has been documented. That the sovereignty of Belarus, its independence are under real threat, and this is not a false alarm of the national-oriented forces of Belarus, which sound the alarm about this. This means that the policy towards Belarus will change accordingly and, I hope, a coherent strategy will appear. This is a clear signal for the Lukashenka regime: The West sees that it is not a guarantor of the sovereignty of Belarus and an independent government, but, on the contrary, is an illegitimate puppet administration that surrenders the country's independence in favor of Russia. And in the international arena, this thesis will be an excellent counterargument to all politicians who propose "not to put too much pressure on Lukashenka, so as not to push Belarus even deeper into Russia." After all, it is obvious that it is he who is the conductor of the "soft annexation" of Belarus, as the OSCE PA calls it. And the point here is not even what term the OSCE PA used (many media, for example, for some reason wrote about "soft occupation"), but that a clear understanding is being formed that Belarus is a victim of Russia's imperial policy and, accordingly, the Lukashenka regime, which provides it. Here's what's important. Whether this situation will be given an appropriate legal assessment - here I am a skeptic, international law did not breathe, it cannot simply be turned the way you want. But politically, the OSCE PA's demonstration of understanding of the situation is very important for developing a strategy for Belarus. And it will allow us, in particular the Cabinet, to be more effective in cooperating with partners to counter Russia and the Lukashenka regime and protect our independence. This is also an important signal for Belarusians who are ready for an active struggle for independence. Neither Lukashenka nor the Kremlin will be able to sell the thesis about "terrorists" or "mercenaries" to anyone, as was the case, for example, in Kazakhstan to justify the intervention of the CSTO in those events. Moreover, in the event of an active struggle for independence, there will be clear legal grounds for the appropriate recognition of this struggle, and, accordingly, the right to seek help from Western countries. And they will have the right to help us.

Now in the center of Europe there is not one, but two wars unleashed by Russia. Russia's war against a free and independent Ukraine. And Russia's war against a free and independent Belarus. In both cases, the illegitimate government of Belarus is fighting against Ukraine, and Belarus is fighting for Russia. But there are those who fight for Belarus instead of them. And just like Ukraine, we need active allies who have a strategy. Yes, there are no hostilities on our territory now, and therefore we are not asking for Hymarsas, Leopards, or F-16 fighters. The capture of Belarus by Russia is carried out in a different way. This is a hybrid occupation that Russia is spending huge resources on. Russia is spending billions to keep the puppet regime of Lukashenka in power, to ensure its mass repressions against Belarusians, to implement the integration programs of the Union State - the project to absorb Belarus. For the eradication of national identity and the ideological rewiring of Belarusians in the spirit of the ideas of racism and the "Russian world". Today, Russia is the only country that has a strategy towards Belarus. This is a strategy for absorbing Belarus within the framework of the Union State project and its dissolution in the “Russian world”. The leader of this strategy, the tool for its implementation is the puppet regime of Lukashenka. He proved this by becoming an accomplice in the war against Ukraine in 2022, and continues to prove it today by participating in Russian war crimes, the deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories, the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons and PKK Wagner mercenaries in Belarus. And destroy everything Belarusian. The Union State of Belarus and Russia is the basis and main instrument of Russia's imperial policy. Without Belarus, its imperial projects become impossible. Because it becomes impossible to continue the war against Ukraine. Because the war against Ukraine is waged not by Russia alone, but by the Union State of Belarus and Russia. In which Belarus is located only because the Lukashenka regime exists. And that is why I would like to recall the words of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu, who said: The most powerful sanction that the West can apply to Russia is the abolition of the Lukashenka regime in Belarus. To liquidate Lukashenka's regime means to liquidate the Union State — it means to win both wars: the war for Ukraine and the war for Belarus.”

Original article: apnews.com TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian opposition activist says that he has provided the International Criminal Court with materials allegedly detailing President Alexander Lukashenko’s involvement in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus, accusations angrily rejected by Minsk. Lukashenko has been Moscow’s closest ally, allowing the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory to send troops and weapons into Ukraine, welcoming a continued Russian military presence in Belarus and the deployment of some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons there. The authoritarian leader has also agreed to a “union state” project that has seen Moscow and Minsk tighten their economic, political and defense ties, while so far stopping short of a full merger. Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian culture minister, said Tuesday that the materials he has handed over to the ICC indicate that more than 2,100 Ukrainian children from at least 15 Russia-occupied Ukrainian cities have been forcibly taken to Belarus with Lukashenko’s approval. Latushka voiced hope that the materials would prompt the ICC to issue a warrant for Lukashenko’s arrest, as it did with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The court’s prosecution office on Wednesday didn’t confirm receipt of the materials described by Latushka. It said in a written response to The Associated Press that it is “duty bound to protect the confidentiality of the information received. Therefore, we usually do not comment on such communications.” In March, the ICC issued warrants for both Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. Judges in The Hague said they found “reasonable grounds to believe” that the two were responsible for the war crimes of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. Moscow has angrily rejected the move. “Ukrainian children, who were under the guardianship of the Ukrainian state, including orphans, children with disabilities and those whose parents were stripped of their parental rights, have been illegally transferred into the territory of Belarus,” Latushka told The Associated Press. “The materials handed over to the prosecutors prove that Lukashenko has personally signed the documents under the auspices of the so-called union state of Russia and Belarus that provided a basis for organizing and funding the transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus,” he added. In an online statement published Tuesday, Latushka’s anti-Lukashenko National Anti-Crisis Management Group claims to have gathered evidence that the Ukrainian children were placed in five Belarusian summer camps and health resorts. In a phone interview, Latushka charged that the documents point to Ukrainian children held in Belarusian facilities undergoing ideological brainwashing and “Russification” before being sent to Russia for adoption, activities he said could amount to war crimes. Materials published online by the National Anti-Crisis Management Group include a video that shows an entertainer on stage wishing death on U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to cheers and applause from several dozen children gathered in the audience. The same entertainer then voices a wish for Putin to “prosper and take control of all of Ukraine.” It wasn’t possible to independently verify the circumstances in which the video was shot, nor substantiate Latushka’s other claims. Lukashenko on Tuesday rejected Latushka’s accusations as “madness,” arguing that Belarus has temporarily hosted the children to help them recover from the war’s trauma. The Belarusian leader said he has reached out to Putin and they agreed to fund the children’s stay in Belarus from the state budget. “This is how we started taking them here,” Lukashenko said Tuesday. “We help improve their health and they leave. They actually don’t want to leave.” Lukashenko denounced Latushka as a “scoundrel” and accused him of trying to manufacture an ICC case against him. Latushka was forced to leave Belarus under pressure from Belarusian authorities following Lukashenko’s reelection in a 2020 vote that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged. Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million people with an iron hand for 29 years, relied on Russia’s political and financial support to brutally suppress months of major opposition protests. Latushka, who lives in self-imposed exile in Poland, said that he received an increasing flow of death threats as he pressed his investigation into the alleged forced transfers of children. Speaking to the AP, he charged that along with Lukashenko, at least four other people have been involved in transferring Ukrainian children to Belarus, including Dmitry Mezentsev, a top official within the Russo-Belarusian “union state” structure, Ivan Golovaty, the head of state-owned Belarusian fertilizer exporter Belaruskali, Alexei Talai, the head of a government-supported charity fund, and Olga Volkova, a pro-Russia activist in Ukraine’s partially-occupied Donetsk region. Documents published by Latushka’s opposition group also include a copy of a letter signed by Mezentsev and addressed to the head of Russia’s national rail operator, Russian Railways, asking that it jointly organize “the transportation of the children” from Ukraine’s industrial east “for rehabilitation to brotherly Belarus.” The letter, dated March 23, referenced a decision by Putin and Lukashenko to provide “humanitarian aid” to the children, as well as plans to resettle almost 2,000 orphans and children living “in harsh conditions” to Belarus this year. It said that 1,050 minors would be transferred in April and May, with another 908 set to follow later in the year. It also indicated that an unspecified number of minors were taken to Belarus last year in a state-funded joint effort by the Russian and Belarusian rail operators. Any group or individual can send evidence of alleged crimes to the ICC. Prosecutors assess such submissions to “identify those that appear to fall within the jurisdiction of the Court and warrant further action,” the court says on its website. The Belarusian authorities have said that the country would host more than 1,000 children ranging in age from 6 to 15 from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine for “recovery.” They said the first 350 of them arrived in Belarus in April, but didn’t say how long they will stay in the country. Last month, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office said it has launched an investigation into the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus. Mike Corder contributed to this report from The Hague, Netherlands.

Security Council of Belarus Address of Saturday, 24.06.2023 This address has been published on the official resources of the Lukashenko regime at 14:00. The statement clearly states the position of Lukashenko, who heads the Security Council in Belarus, that Belarus supports a special military operation (war) against Ukraine. That Belarus, represented by Lukashenko, will provide maximum support to Putin in resolving this situation. It seems important to consider this position in the overall context of Lukashenko's role in the preparation and participation in the war against Ukraine. Original text of the appeal: mfa.gov.by