Tikhanovskaya: Ukraine’s freedom is also Belarus’s freedom
Belarus’s freedom is a necessary condition for Ukraine’s victory in the war with Russia, and the fates of Ukraine and Belarus are closely intertwined, said Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, speaking on Monday, April, at the annual event “Discussing Freedom” (Berliner Rede Zur Freiheit) at the Naumann Foundation in Berlin.
“There will not be a free Belarus without a free Ukraine, and there will not be a secure Ukraine without a free Belarus,” she said. Tikhanovskaya also stressed that she is proud that hundreds of Belarusian volunteers are fighting on the Ukrainian side. According to her, at least 18 volunteers from a neighboring state, officially considered Russia’s ally, died defending Ukraine.
Tikhanovskaya also recalled the Belarusian underground. “In 2022 alone, Belarusian railway partisans committed 80 acts of sabotage to deter Russian troops,” said the former Belarusian presidential candidate. According to her, “it is important to distinguish between the regime of (Alexander) Lukashenko, which supports Russia’s genocidal war, and the Belarusian people, who, together with Ukrainians, repel the militant empire.”
Tikhanovskaya sentenced to 15 years in Belarus
In early March, the Minsk City Court sentenced Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in absentia to 15 years in prison. The investigation charged him with ten counts at once: unauthorized appropriation of title and power, assisting a foreign state in actions against national security, conspiracy to seize power, inciting hatred, creating an extremist formation, obstructing work of the CEC and others.
Commenting on the court’s decision, Tikhanovskaya noted that she did not think about what the Belarusian authorities wanted to tell her with this verdict. “With or without him”, she intends to continue “to do everything in her power to free political prisoners and lead the country towards democratic change”.
Source: DW
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.