lukashenko Is Preparing to War Against His Own People

The lukashenko regime, which for years has justified its subservience to the kremlin by citing an external threat, has finally admitted who it fears the most. Not NATO, not neighboring Ukraine, and not even russia – but its own citizens. This is evidenced by the sudden combat readiness drill that lukashenko ordered the internal troops to conduct, ostensibly to find out how thoroughly the security forces have learned the lessons of the war in Ukraine.

In reality, this is not about combat experience, but about suppressing unrest within the country. secretary of the security council of the rb volfovich has explained the goal without mincing words: ensuring public order amid a destabilizing situation within the country.

Behind this wording lies the dictatorship’s familiar fear of its own population. The regime is analyzing how to apply unconventional methods to counter hybrid threats and what measures to take to maintain order, but there was  not – and there will not be –  a single word about arming civilians or territorial defense. Belarusians will not be allowed to bear arms, because for the regime, the main threat is not external but internal.

It is also telling that there are no real lessons to be learned here. belarusian siloviki know how to suppress protests without relying on anyone else’s experience; they did so in 2020 and are ready to do it again.