Belarusian mothers trying to hide their sons |
Hundreds of Belarusians living both in Belarus and abroad of Ukraine it is said that he fought against Russia
In February Russia tens of thousands of soldiers Ukraine carried to the border. Some of those soldiers were said to be from Belarus. Alyona (name is conditional) then he was very scared.
“He is for me weather as it is, the meaning of my life. I was very scared for my son. I don’t even know how to describe it. It was a wild fear. I was hysterical, I was sobbing on the toilet at work”– his son is in the Belarusian army in 2021 military speaks to Alyona, who has been called up.
Fortunately, Alyona’s son contacted his mother and said that she was in a safe place. Soon “zampolit” (from the Soviet era military job title, “political commissar”) told Alyona that no one would send the Belarusians anywhere anyway.
Later it became known that the head of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko He gave permission to Russia to use its territory to attack Ukraine. The unsuccessful attack organized for the occupation of Kiev also started from the territory of Belarus. However, Minsk firmly states that its troops did not directly participate in any battle.
Ten months have passed since the start of the war, tens of thousands of soldiers perished but Moscow continues to attack. Alyona and her son military thousands of Belarusian mothers in care are worried about the safety of their children.
Belarus has long been a source of energy supply, economic and political depends on Russia for support. Lukashenka’s dependence on Moscow two years ago the president it increased even more after the protests that broke out after the elections.
Last weekend Russia President Vladimir PutinLukashenka who met with UkrainePoland and NATOaccused him of “trying to involve us in the conflict”.
However, his actions and those of other Belarusian officials caused concern among the community. People fear that they may announce an emergency mobilization under pressure from Moscow.
Outside observers say that Russia’s military campaign is poorly organized, many political and they say there were intelligence errors and gaps in military command and equipment. They also cite corruption and incompetence, as well as dependence on poorly trained armies and mercenaries, as serious obstacles.
Many analysts Putin last month at least 300 thousand new soldier they see the declaration of partial mobilization to collect as a sign of the strengthening of the desperate situation of the Kremlin.
And now Lukashenka without showing any evidence Ukraine and accuses its Western allies of “planning strikes on the territory of Belarus,” which it says could take the form of “sabotage, terrorist attacks and military insurgency in the country.”
He then Russia and announced the creation of a joint “regional military group” consisting of Belarusian troops.
Following Lukashenka’s statement Ministry of Defence Belarus announced that an inspection will be held in the armed forces.
G7 leaders and NATO publicly called on Belarusian officials to refrain from contributing to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
A few days later, on October 14, Lukashenko sent 15,000 Russian soldiers to Ukraine on the border declared that he will come to Belarus to join the joint military group.
Already the next day, on October 15, Belarus Ministry of Defence said that the first group of Russian soldiers has arrived in Belarus. Institution of the Russian military national also released images of being greeted with salt and bread by women in uniform.
Deputy Chief of Staff of Belarus Viktor Tumar he said that this step is “completely of a security nature”. He said that the goal is to “ensure equality of military security forces and support peace.”
Lukashenka’s unpopularity at home could complicate any mobilization efforts.
Maria told RFE/RL’s Belarusian service that her son “has been running away from the military commissar for three years” after being expelled from the university.
He does not live at his registered address, and although he has been called up for military service many times, he has so far managed to ignore the summons of the military commissariat.
According to Maria, after the announcement of mobilization in Russia last month, “all women began to worry about their sons and husbands.”
Many of them have begun to carefully study ways to avoid conscription, including disabilities and health conditions that can help.
Belarusian deputies recently from the military service of young Belarusian students studying abroad free which envisages the cancellation of making law prepared the project.
Tatsyana told RFE/RL that even though her son does not want to go abroad to study, she and her husband are doing their best to make him study abroad “as long as possible.”
A recent attempt to get visas for their son was unsuccessful. “There are mediators. [Ancaq] they want a lot of money”, – he says.
Now the couple is busy exploring other avenues. “Because it is not an option for my son to stay here.” – he says.
Political suicide
Leader of the Belarusian opposition in exile Svetlana Tikhanovskaya He said that the destinies of Ukraine and Belarus are connected.
“Free Without Ukraine free It cannot be Belarus.” – 2020Tikhanovskaya, Lukashenka’s main rival in the 2018 elections, said in an interview with Radio Liberty last summer. He called Lukashenka a “traitor” for his actions regarding Ukraine.
Last week, amid growing rumors of mobilization, Tikhanovskaya said Lukashenka’s direct involvement in the war would be “political suicide.”
Belarusian society is against Russia’s war in Ukraine. Hundreds of Belarusians living both in Belarus and abroad of Ukraine it is said that he fought against Russia.
Since the start of the war, dozens of people have been detained on charges of involvement in campaigns to disrupt Belarusian railways to prevent Russian troops and supplies from being transported to Ukraine.
“Iron way long term to some of those accused of “partisanship”. imprisonment their sentences have been cut.
Margarita, whose son is currently sent to the Ukrainian border as part of the Belarusian army, says that she instructed her son to “run to the other side and surrender” if he is ordered to fight with the Ukrainians.
“You just need to hide the children so that they don’t have to fight for the interests of others,” – he says.