Lukashenka's Main Narrative Shattered
- 23.09.2024, 21:33
The sanctions are effective.
Russian opposition activist Ilya Yashin, who was released as a result of a large-scale exchange, voiced his version of the reasons for the gradual releasing of political prisoners in Belarus at a meeting with his supporters in Vilnius, writes ‘Salidarnasts’.
He mentioned the recent pardons, when Lukashenka was releasing people in batches of 30 people:
‘As it was explained to me, he is literally exchanging people for parts for aeroplanes. He has problems with Belavia and needs to fix the planes, but he can't get the parts he needs because of the sanctions. He is literally trading live people for parts for planes’.
If the Russian oppositionist's version of the story is correct, several conclusions can be drawn at once.
Belavia planes have been in the news several times over the past two years due to forced landings. The last such incident occurred in July this year, when the company's plane, flying from Minsk to Kutaisi, landed unscheduled in Astrakhan due to the failure of one of the engines.
In addition, in August this year, Boeing 767-300 with registration number EW-001pb was added to the U.S. sanctions lists. Now the entire aircraft fleet, which is used by the government of Belarus, is under the U.S. sanctions.
The version looks quite reasonable and realistic. Among other things, it gives reason to reflect on the causes for appearing of the piece with the participation of Yuri Zenkovich on the propaganda screens, which caused a counter statement of the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Belarus.
In this light, the interview with the political prisoner, who is a US citizen, looks, however cynical it may sound, like a pre-sale preparation. Isn't it about the exchange of a prisoner of the regime, exhausted beyond recognition, on Board No. 1?
The version of exchanging regime hostages for aircraft parts destroys one of the main propaganda narratives claiming that Western sanctions are not working.
It seems that they are very considerate at least in some areas, and force official Minsk to take steps that are unpleasant for it.
If this is confirmed, the supporters of the idea of pressurising the regime to release political prisoners will have an additional argument to defend their position.
Finally, Yashin's claims once again demonstrate the cost of the words said by Lukashenka and his entourage. The series of releases of political prisoners is explained at the official level, among other things, by humanitarian motives.
And the state BELTA agency, which has turned into one of the main propaganda mouthpieces, has expanded this frame of reference:
‘It is necessary to understand that the decision to pardon is not only a gesture of humanism on the part of the state. It is also a demonstration of trust. The President has opened the credit of trust to those who have strayed but have realised their mistakes and repented. He gave these people an opportunity to become part of society again, to determine the fate of our country together’.
And in reality? No humanism, ‘just business’.