At the border with Ukraine, Belarusians are increasingly talking about liberation
Since the outbreak of full-scale war, the mood in Belarus’s border regions has shifted dramatically. People who, just a few years ago, were afraid to even mention Ukraine are now increasingly whispering that they are waiting to be liberated from Lukashenko’s regime and Russian influence, according to Belarusian media reports.
A resident of a town in southwestern Belarus, near the Ukrainian border, said that many locals no longer openly believe the propaganda about a “threat from Ukraine.” On the contrary, more and more people view the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a force capable of changing the situation in the country.
According to the man, his region has always had close ties with Ukraine. A road and a railway run through the city, and relatives, friends, and acquaintances live on both sides of the border. Until 2022, people traveled back and forth freely, stayed in touch, and felt no hostility. But everything changed abruptly after February 2022. “Our city was overrun by Russian troops. We saw columns of military vehicles and heard rockets being fired at Ukraine right from our district. That’s when it became clear: life as we knew it was over,” he says.
The man explains that after that, Belarus was completely engulfed in fear and control. According to him, local security forces are effectively carrying out Russian orders, and any dissenting opinion can lead to trouble. “We realized that the occupation had already taken place. Just without tanks in the streets and official statements. Russia is already here,” says the resident of the border town.
At the same time, he says, people are increasingly skeptical of state propaganda. Belarusian television regularly reports on Ukraine’s alleged “preparations for an attack,” but in border regions, these claims elicit a very different reaction. “No one here believes Ukraine is planning an attack. People see who actually brought the war here. And more and more often, you hear one phrase: ‘We’re waiting for the Ukrainian Armed Forces,’” says the Belarusian.
He adds that such conversations are still being held quietly and only among themselves. But just a few years ago, he says, something like this was impossible to even imagine. “People are no longer talking about fear of Ukraine, but about hope. For many, the Ukrainian army is not a threat, but a chance for change,” he notes.
Separately, the man addressed Ukrainians with words of support. “Belarusians have always supported Ukraine. We want Ukraine to win. And many believe that with this victory, freedom will come for Belarus as well,” he says.
At the same time, he emphasizes that within Belarus itself, people remain intimidated, and any open expressions of dissent are harshly suppressed. That is precisely why most people speak of their feelings only in whispers. According to him, even some members of the military and security forces no longer want Belarus to be dragged into the war and understand what a new offensive from Belarusian territory could lead to. “At the sight of real force, many will simply flee,” he is convinced.
Ukraine has already identified the first 500 targets on Belarusian territory that could be struck if Lukashenko’s regime enters the war against Ukraine.
