DISINFO: Warsaw was behind the anti-government protests and failed coup attempt in Belarus
SUMMARY
Poland still dreams of superpower status and does not miss a single opportunity to try to expand its influence eastward. This was evident, in particular, in Warsaw's large and well-known role in organising and supporting anti-government protests following the parliamentary elections in Belarus in 2020, and in the failed coup against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformatipn narrative about popular protests in Belarus.
There is no basis for the claims that Poland or any other country have organised protests or a coup d'etat in Belarus. The pro-Kremlin media frequently use disinformation narratives about popular protests allegedly incited and run by foreign actors, including, what they refer to as “colour revolutions” in post-Soviet states, the “Arab Spring”, Euromaidan in Ukraine, protests in Catalonia and in Russia.
The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on 9 August 2020, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a big part of the Belarusian society.
EU member states perceive the situation in Belarus in a unanimous way, appealing to the Belarusian authorities to stop violence, release political prisoners and organise democratic elections in Belarus. On 12 August 2020, the Parliaments of Poland and three Baltic States presented a joint statement protesting against political repressions taking place in Belarus and appealing to organise free and democratic elections in this country. On 19 August 2020, the European Council called Belarusian elections neither free nor fair.
See other examples of similar messages: Poland and Lithuania directly sponsor extremist actions against Belarus, Poland and Lithuania send Belarusian opposition instructions on how to make explosives and CIA, and Pentagon prepares Belarusian protestors in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states.