Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Ambassador
Pavel Latushka on the destructive actions of the dictator
The Lukashenko regime is overtly engaged in a hybrid war against Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. In 2021, he orchestrated a migration crisis on their borders, with his security forces enabling illegal migrants to attack border guards, even resorting to homemade weapons. Just a month ago, Polish soldier Mateusz Sitek was tragically stabbed and killed in such an attack. A total of 25 Polish soldiers have been injured in similar incidents. The regime also dispatches saboteurs to neighboring countries to carry out acts of arson and sabotage. And most egregiously, the Lukashenko regime has been a willing accomplice in Russia's war against Ukraine since 2022.
It is entirely understandable that our neighbors are taking measures to protect their national security. Of course, for those of us Belarusians who do not support these aggressive actions, who oppose the presence of Russian troops and nuclear weapons on our soil, who condemn the war and the regime's complicity, who fundamentally oppose this regime and aspire to live in a normal, democratic country at peace with its neighbors – it feels deeply unfair that we are directly affected by these security measures.
This is precisely why the Belarusian democratic forces advocate for a clear separation between Lukashenko's aggressive regime and the Belarusian people. And we will continue to do so relentlessly.
We must never forget the root causes of this situation. Whose policies, whose aggression, have led us to this point? Who illegally seized power, orchestrated mass repressions, imprisoned thousands, and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homeland? Who is responsible for the inhumane torture and deaths of peaceful protesters and political prisoners? Who transformed Belarus into a launching pad for the invasion of Ukraine, becoming a willing accomplice in this war and a war criminal? Who is terrorizing neighboring countries? The answer is unequivocally Lukashenko's regime.
We cannot afford to turn a blind eye and pretend that everything is fine. We cannot feign ignorance as to why a wall is being erected on the border between Belarus and the EU, why defensive structures are being built, and why border security is being reinforced. We cannot pretend we don't understand why neighboring countries are imposing entry restrictions.
These days, the Lukashenko regime is deliberately pushing the situation to a point where Belarusians will be completely barred from entering the EU, trapped behind a new Iron Curtain. Closed borders only serve the interests of the dictatorship. It's easier to lie, to repress, to exist in isolation from the civilized world.
From day one, Lukashenko has yearned for a return to the USSR, to life behind the Iron Curtain. Better yet, he aspires to surpass those "achievements" and transform Belarus into a second North Korea.
Only we, the Belarusian people, can stop him and prevent the fall of a new Iron Curtain. And not just politicians – all of us. Political arguments alone will soon prove insufficient to convince our partners not to isolate Belarusians. We need action.
I urge that segment of Belarusian society that is safe abroad, who have the freedom to act openly, to make your voices heard.
Do not remain silent. Express your civic position, your anti-war stance. Participate in rallies organized by activists. Organize your own. Be visible. Show the world that Belarusians stand against Lukashenko's dictatorship and the war. Most of you now reside in Europe. Even if it is in forced exile, you have made the European choice. And today, it is you, living in democratic countries, enjoying freedom of speech and assembly, who can amplify this choice within Belarus.
Our national interests are our shared cause. Let us fight for them together. Let us stand united against the regime that has placed its lust for power and its own interests above the well-being of our nation.
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