From Euromaiden Press: 2023/03/25 – 17:43 • ANALYSIS, INTERNATIONAL
Article by: Oleksandr Kalinichenko
No longer Putin’s little helper, Lukashenka has not only turned Belarus into a vital rear base for Russia’s war against Ukraine, but is building a sanctions-circumvention scheme with Iran and China to bolster Russia’s depleted arsenal.
As demonstrated by the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s hold on power now hinges entirely on the will of the Kremlin. This has led his regime to provide Russian forces access to Belarusian territory in support of a full-scale attack on Ukraine.
After Russia’s failed “blitzkrieg,” Belarus has taken on a new role as a base for supplying the rear of the Russian army and circumventing Western sanctions. In recent weeks, Lukashenka has made visits to China and Iran, leading some to speculate that he is attempting to lessen Russia’s hold on Belarus. However, it’s more likely that Minsk’s increased foreign policy activity is linked to the Kremlin’s needs.
Voice of Ukraine 