Russia is to gradually take over Belarus until the year 2030, according to the leaked document “Strategic goals of the Russian Federation in the Belarusian direction”. Among other things, there are plans for common borders, currency and military, and for more Belarusian children to be sent to patriotic centers in Russia. In addition, Belarusian culture and language are to be suppressed and Russian passports are to be distributed to create a “stock” of Russian citizens.
Another of the goals described is for Russia to take “control over the information landscape” in Belarus.
The Express has taken part in the leaked document in an international collaboration with investigative journalists in Europe and the USA.
Similar approach to Ukraine
Martin Kragh, deputy director of the Center for East European Studies and senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute (UI), describes the document as a “standard document” that is broadly consistent with Russia’s long-standing insistence on deeper integration with Belarus.
— Russia originally had a similar approach towards Ukraine. If you go back 15, 20 years, they tried to use political and economic means to bring Ukraine closer to Russia. But when that failed, then Putin resorted to military means, he tells Expressen.
Paramilitary units
In addition to Russia and Ukraine, Belarus also borders the NATO and EU countries Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The country’s president Aleksandr Lukashenko is usually called Europe’s last dictator and is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies.
On Monday, Lukashenko announced that in every city or village in Belarus, paramilitary units will be formed to serve as territorial defense and supplement the country’s military, reports the AP news agency.
According to Lukashenko, it is needed “in case of aggression”. Every man must learn to handle weapons to “protect his family and his home” if necessary, according to the president.
According to Defense Minister Viktor Chrenin, it is about up to 150,000 volunteers who will be armed.