Belarusian opposition plots to oust Lukashenko supports Ukraine
Formed in 2020 by former Belarusian law enforcement officers, BYPOL has quickly become a notable entity in the opposition movement.
2:30 PM EST, February 28, 2024
Azarau resigned from his position upon witnessing electoral fraud during the 2020 presidential elections and the subsequent suppression of protests. Initially fleeing to Ukraine, he later moved to Poland, which has since become the headquarters from which he oversees BYPOL's operations.
The group is not only preparing to oust Lukashenko but is also actively engaging in efforts to sabotage the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In a conversation with Belgium's VRT television, Azarau stressed the importance of Russia's military defeat for their cause. "Without Putin, there is no Lukashenko," he asserted.
"Putin won't have time for Belarus"
Azarau is optimistic about Ukrainian military successes, suggesting that a successful Ukrainian offensive would divert Putin's attention away from Belarus. "If Ukraine manages to conduct an effective offensive, Putin will no longer have time for Belarus," he explained.
He believes this would provide the perfect window for Belarusian dissidents to act. "We have developed a plan and we will implement it at the right time," Azarau reiterated.
In mid-February, a Belarusian court sentenced Azarau and five other former officers in absentia for "inciting hatred, conspiring to seize power forcibly, and creating an extremist group", with Azarau receiving a 25-year prison term.
Source: VRT, Politico
