{"id":11577,"date":"2023-06-12T10:10:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-12T07:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/sochi-trip-emphasizes-lukasenkas-vassal-status\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"sochi-trip-emphasizes-lukasenkas-vassal-status","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11577\/","title":{"rendered":"Sochi trip emphasizes \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s vassal status"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n It has been happening over and over again. Russian President Vladimir Putin tells Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka what is going on in Belarus. The latter acts as if he hears it for the first time.<\/span><\/b>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The latest such conversation was reported to occur during the two leaders\u2019 meeting at the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on June 9.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In a separate development, last week\u2019s vote in the UN proved the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime\u2019s deep isolation.\n<\/p>\n

UN defeat<\/h2>\n

\n\t Slovenia last week defeated Belarus to win a seat on the UN Security Council for 2024-2025.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Slovenia received 153 votes, while Belarus gained 38. The two countries were competing for one seat allocated to Eastern European states.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Although Minsk\u2019s UN ambassador Valancin Rybako\u016d claimed some countries were pressured to vote for Slovenia and threatened funding cuts, the vote showed that Minsk is out of favor not only with what it describes as collective West.\n<\/p>\n

Nightmare of Ukrainian offensive<\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s visit to Putin highlighted Russia\u2019s role as Belarus\u2019 foreign policy pivot. The Belarusian ruler has been meeting Russian provincial governors nearly every week. After Russia unleashed a full-scale war against Ukraine last year, its share of Belarus\u2019 foreign policy expanded dramatically.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka is aware that his political future hinges on Russia\u2019s progress in Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t On June 8, he made it clear at his meeting with CIS security chiefs that the continuing war in Ukraine posed a threat to his regime.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t He is very much concerned about Ukraine\u2019s counteroffensive. If it succeeds, Russian defenses may collapse and the conflict may spill over into Belarus. Belarusian volunteers fighting alongside Ukrainian forces repeatedly stressed that their ultimate goal was to free their motherland.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Kastu\u015b Kalino\u016dski regiment is a nightmare for \u0141uka\u0161enka. That is why he keeps reassuring himself and others that the counteroffensive would fail and that Russia is strong, while Ukraine is weak.\n<\/p>\n

Putin\u2019s nuclear blackmail<\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka and Putin have met five times this year. Observers note that their meetings are like mutual psychotherapy sessions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Putin said that Russian tactical nuclear weapons would arrive in Belarus after July 7 \u2013 as soon as necessary storage facilities are ready. \n<\/p>\n

\n\t Those who wage wars usually keep their plans secret. Putin, however, advertises the possible deployment. Therefore, he uses it primarily for political purposes, while military or strategic objectives are secondary. His goal seems to be to intimidate NATO and Ukraine, and force his opponents to back down.\n<\/p>\n

Depleted sovereignty<\/h2>\n

\n\t It was Moscow\u2019s initiative to site nuclear weapons in Belarus.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Putin announced the move on March 25. Two months later, \u0141uka\u0161enka said that Putin had informed him that he had signed some edict to that effect.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t During their latest meeting in Sochi, Putin briefed \u0141uka\u0161enka on progress in the construction of storage facilities. The Russian leader kindly informed his Belarusian counterpart about what was going on in the latter\u2019s backyard. \u0141uka\u0161enka took note of that information.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t On May 25, the Belarussian ruler told journalists in Moscow that he would come back home and see whether the deployment had actually begun. Two weeks later Putin said that it would begin soon.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t So, \u0141uka\u0161enka has to meet with Putin in Moscow or Sochi to find out what is going on in his country. This says it all about the state of Belarus\u2019 sovereignty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d It has been happening over and over again. Russian President Vladimir Putin tells Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka what is going on in Belarus. The latter acts as if he hears it for the first time. The latest such conversation was reported to occur during the two leaders\u2019 meeting at the Russian Black Sea resort […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-11577","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSochi trip emphasizes \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s vassal status | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d It has been happening over and over again. 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