Posted on 08/22/2020 5:44:50 PM PDT by RomanSoldier19
Claims by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that "foreign powers" are organising a build-up of troops on the country's border are baseless, says Nato.
Dressed in military fatigues, the president said he had placed his armed forces on "high alert".
Protests continued in the streets of Minsk on Saturday following a disputed election two weeks ago.
Demonstrators are demanding that Mr Lukashenko stand down.
The leader, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, claimed the Nato bloc was trying to split up Belarus and install a new president in Minsk.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
“The leader who has ruled Belarus for 26 years ...”
Well, it’s not like he’s a tyrant or anything, right ?
Putin and Xi are just pikers by comparison (but they’re sure damn well working on it).
Last grasp to remain in power?
One good thing if Belarus returns to Russia is that Kaliningrad won’t be an exclave anymore.
You mean, Russia will grab all of Belarus, Lithuania and Kalingrad oblast, or it will let Lithuania keep Kalingrad oblast?
If Belarus invites them it, it wouldn’t be grabbing.
The mighty Red Army had its @zz kicked a century ago by the Poles. Europe remained mostly free as a result.
Lukashenko has already been told by Putin, “Let’s you and them fight”. The outcome will inform him as to whether he can invade Lithuania & eliminate the Kaliningrad corridor.
Hitler invaded Poland to remove the “Polish corridor” separating Danzig (Gdansk) from the Reich. History repeats.
apparently its against the law to do polling after voting but some group did and found that Lukashenko lost convincingly in the after polls but managed to win the actual election overwhelmingly...
thus we have the massive protests in Belarus...
Belarus's worse threat is from Russia ready to pounce in....
pray for the Belarus people and the world...the tyrants are active...
Belarus isn’t nothing. But it’s not a lot either. Below I have figures for Russia and the three largest “near republics.” Add in the lesser “near republicans, “ and the eastern European countries that used to be part of the Warsaw Pact, and you can see that Russia is a mere fraction of what the Soviet Union at its height was. For comparison, I include comparable figures for the U.S. and EU.
RUSSIA: Population 144.5 million, GDP $1.66 trillion
BELARUS: Population 9.5 million, GDP $60 billion
KAZAKHSTAN: 18 million, $174 billion
UKRAINE: Population 42 million, GDP $131 billion
U.S.: Population 328 million, GDP $20.5 trillion
EU: Population 446 million, GDP $18.3 trillion
Shifting Ukraine from east to west and developing its economic potential would be enormous; but, this is also an enormous enterprise. There are, for example, border problems to address. But, the flowering of democracy and free markets in Poland and elsewhere in eastern Europe give us reason to be hopeful for Ukraine.
Now comes possibly a EuroMaiden moment in Belarus. Belarus, like Ukraine, is beholden to Russia for cheap energy. On the other hand, Russia transports energy to the EU through Ukraine. So, Ukraine has some bargaining power with Russia. As long as it (Ukraine) isn’t greedy, it can pay for the energy it buys from Russia with royalties from the flow of Russia energy through pipelines located in Ukraine. There is the basis for a deal, if we look at the relation between Russia and Ukraine as a business situation as opposed to a political situation.
Eelarus also has some bargaining power with Russia for the very same reason (Russian energy also flows to Europe through pipelines in Belarus). Europe can be helpful to Ukraine and Belarus by being strong with Russia on energy. And, we can be helpful by being an optional source of energy for Europe.
All the countries involved have big interests in energy flowing. Energy production and export is Russia’s key industry. Not only with Europe, but possibly also with China. Pipelines from Siberia and the Arctic to China have tremendous potential. With peaceful relations, there is the possibility of enormous profit.
I’m sure Lithuania would love to have Kalingrad oblast back. It has a nice little bit of coastline and this is of strategic importance. Russia craves Baltic coastline real estate (nice and ice free) and if Lithuania had it back, it would be a setback for the Russians. How would Poland feel about this?
The Poles have already proven how they have the will and the might to kick the Russians back to the East when the Nazis are not grinding them down from the West.
Putin isn’t stupid. He knows there is age old hatred for Russia among the Poles. He sees how Poland is keeping Muslims out and fighting their attempts to infiltrate.
Let Putin build his military cathedrals.
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