Russia is de facto occupying Belarus, says exiled leader

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko is a puppet, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is pulling the strings, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Wednesday. Russia has been using Belarus as a staging ground for troops and a place to launch missiles into Ukraine since early in the war. Now, Putin and Lukashenko are trying to legalize the constant and increasing deployment of troops into Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya said. Lukashenko has been ruling the country for 28 years. 

Who is Tsikhanouskaya? The leader is currently in exile in Lithuania after losing an election to Lukashenko in 2020. Leaders of some Western countries denounced the election, and large numbers of Belarusians disputed the results. Following her loss, Russia helped Lukashenko survive some of the largest protests in the country’s history. Tsikhanouskaya said Russia is urging Belarus to add its own troops to the war, but she says Belarusians won’t comply.

Dig deeper: Read Sharon Dierberger’s report in WORLD magazine on how two former Soviet citizens are using their faith to help their homelands.