ON THE OCCUPATION OF BELARUS

(Statement)

1. A „strong” response promised by Mr. Putin to the West is not yet completed but it has just become a reality. Russian troops were being moved into Belarus. The occupation process is continuing. Russian troops from whole Russia are moving up. 200 military trains are en route. Every train has 50 wagons (totally 10 thousand wagons). They are bringing the military equipment as well as 80-100 thousand troops. This is more than the whole Belarusan army.

2. The illegitimate impostor of the state power Aliaksandr Lukashenka has agreed to move the Russian troops into Belarus under the guise of Russian training exercises on the territory of Belarus in order to pose a threat to Ukraine.

The Constitution and the laws of Belarus as well as the principles of international law have been grossly violated.

3. The occupation has been provoked by the aggressive Putin's politics as well as by the impostor Lukashenka's high treason. The West has contributed to the process of occupation by its economic sanctions against Belarus. These sanctions have been inspired by Moscow and covered with rhetoric used by the pro-Russian opposition group of P. Latushka and S. Tsikhanouskaya.

4. To date, the situation has sharply changed. The process of Russian occupation is moving quickly and the international community remains silent. Russia is using the moment when the international community has fixed its attention on the artificially manipulated Russian threat to attack Ukraine. At the same time Russia is quietly occupying Belarus.

Moscow is planning to take control of the state institutions, industrial enterprises as well as strategic objects of Belarus. The media have provided information regarding the Russian plan.

5. Strategically, the Russian occupation of the Belarusan “territorial balcony” is a blow to the NATO and the whole EU policy with disastrous geopolitical consequences.

This is the first result of the Russian aggression as well as of the short-sighted Western policy towards Belarus.

6. The Russian occupation could be a disaster for Belarus. This disaster is taking place.

It is the only road to prevent the disaster -- to fight against the occupants. The people must rebuild the underground movement and the Belarusan Liberation Army (BLA). It is necessary to be battle-ready in short time and to start the resistance using the guerrilla tactics while occupants are arriving in the military trains.

7. The threat of the occupation transforms our territory into a military bridgehead from which the Putins’aggressors intent to attack other countries. These countries will strike back the Belarusian territory, our houses and our people. Thus Moscow intends to implement its aggressive and criminal plans and to leave the Belarusan people exposed to the mortal threat.

Belarusian people, remember: under the occupation and during the dirty and foreign war provoked by the Russian occupants from our country any human or political differences will have any importance anymore apart the treason and the Russian enemy in front of us. Bombs will fall on everybody. Our nation must be united against Putin’s Russia and the Russian occupants in a situation where our national existence is threatened.

Let us stand in defense of our Homeland!

Occupants, out of Belarus!

Long live free Belarus!

January 23, 2022

Zianon PAZNIAK (on behalf of the Belarusan National Secretariat Free Belarus)