Kremlin not to signal to Belarus to recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and Crimea as a part of Russia, Kremlin spokesperson says

February 8, BPN. The Kremlin would not send any signals to Belarus about the need to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as Crimea as a part of Russia, follows from the response to journalists by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

“In all likelihood, our ally and partner would make its own decision when it deems it appropriate,” TASS quoted Peskov as saying. According to him, Aliaksandr Lukašenka “is well aware of the real state of affairs with the status of Crimea, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.”

“There is apparently no need for additional signals,” Peskov said.

He noted that in fact “there are the states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia recognized by the Russian Federation,” that Moscow has established diplomatic relations with, “and there is the Russian region of Crimea, which is an integral part of the Russian Federation.” Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson stressed that “this is a reality” and Lukašenka “is well aware of it.”

In an interview with Russian TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov, Lukašenka did not rule out that Belarus could recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. According to him, this may happen when he “understands the necessity” of this step and when Putin tells him so.

On November 30, 2021, in an interview with the international news agency Rossiya Segodnya, Lukašenka said that Crimea was de facto “the Russian Crimea,” when after the 2014 referendum, “Crimea became Russian also de jure.”