The Belarusian Democratic Movement and Russia’s War on Ukraine

The Belarusian Democratic Movement and Russia’s War on Ukraine

Authors: Volha Biziukova and Aliaksandr Bystryk

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between Belarus and the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.

The report brings to light the complexity of the Belarusian perspective on the on-going war. It shows how the war has impacted domestic politics with the democratic opposition breaking with Moscow, while public opinion has moved in a different direction to the trends in Russia. Belarus’ participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine has been facilitated by the outcomes of the revolutionary movement of 2020 and its failure to defend the results of the elections and remove Lukashenka from power.