Freed Belarusian opposition activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski: I absolutely support Ukraine and Zelenskyy
Belarusian opposition activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who was released on 21 June, has declared his full support for Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Source: Tykhanouski at a press conference on 22 June, as reported by Nasha Niva, a Belarusian news outlet
Quote: "I absolutely support Ukraine. President Zelenskyy has endured an incredibly difficult fate. What I went through is nothing compared to what he has gone through. He is a hero to me. I support him wholeheartedly."
Details: Tsikhanouski emphasised that he has never been a pro-Russian politician.
Quote: "I had a business; I had offices in Moscow and Kyiv and a company in Lithuania. That’s all. I have never been pro-Russian – that’s fake news. Our common enemy is the Putin regime. Until it collapses, there will be no victory in Belarus."
Details: Tsikhanouski visited Russian-occupied Crimea in 2017. He explained at the press conference that "at the time, I wasn’t a politician and didn’t think about political issues", saying he had "travelled there as a pilgrim".
He also urged Belarusians to "fight against Lukashism".
At the same time, Tsikhanouski said his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, remains the leader of the Belarusian opposition.
Quote: "The leader of the opposition is my wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and I’m not planning to stake any claim here. A person who has spent five years in isolation cannot be a leader. We have thousands of leaders like me."
More details: Nasha Niva noted that Tsikhanouski began his speech by thanking US and European politicians.
Previously:
- Belarusian opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski, 46, was released after five years in prison on 21 June following a visit to Belarus by Keith Kellogg, the US President’s Special Envoy for Ukraine. Tsikhanouski left Belarus shortly afterwards.
- In total, the Lukashenko regime released 14 political prisoners that day.
- Among the 14 prisoners released with the support of the US were three Polish citizens, two Latvians, one Estonian, one Swedish citizen, one US citizen and two Japanese nationals.
- Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has confirmed that all 14 political prisoners, including Tsikhanouski, are safe in Lithuania and are receiving the appropriate assistance.
Background:
- In 2019, Siarhei Tsikhanouski created a YouTube channel called A Country for Life. He travelled across Belarus recording interviews with local people who spoke openly about their problems and criticised the authorities and officials.
- In 2020, Tsikhanouski announced his intention to run for president. He was arrested even before the election campaign began. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – now the leader of the Belarusian opposition – submitted the candidacy documents in his place.
- In 2021, Tsikhanouski was sentenced to 18 years in a high-security penal colony on four politically motivated charges, including organising mass riots and inciting hatred. His sentence was later extended by another 18 months for allegedly disobeying the colony administration. Tsikhanouski did not plead guilty and refused to cooperate with the investigation.
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