After Five Years of Imprisonment: Tsikhanouskaya Expresses Support for Ukraine and Zelensky
On June 21, Belarusian opposition figure and controversial politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was unexpectedly released from prison, marking a significant event not only for the Belarusian resistance movement but also for the entire regional political scene. Her release signaled a new stage in her civic and political activities and provoked numerous reactions and comments from the international community and Tsikhanouskaya’s close circle. Primarily, right from the outset of her public statement, she unequivocally expressed her support for Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the press conference held on June 22, after her release, Tsikhanouskaya sincerely shared her position: “I fully support Ukraine. President Zelensky has faced a very tough fate. What I have gone through over these years is nothing compared to what he has endured. He is a hero to me. I can say this without hesitation: I support him completely and with all my heart.” Her statement not only highlights her firm stance on issues concerning Ukraine but also confirms her complete rejection of pro-Russian rhetoric, which is held by some other politicians within the Belarusian opposition segment. In an interview with “Nasha Niva,” Tsikhanouskaya emphasized: “I have never been a pro-Russian politician. I had a business, small offices in Moscow, Kyiv, and a company in Lithuania — and that’s all. That’s all I ever had. Even the idea of pro-Russian orientation is a fake. Our main enemy is Putin’s regime. As long as this regime exists, there will be no victory for Belarusian democracy.” Regarding her trip to Crimea in 2017, which was annexed by Russia, Tsikhanouskaya admitted that at that time she was not involved in politics and did not consider political issues; she was “more like a pilgrim than a politician.” She believes this does not affect her current position: “I went there not as a politician, but as a person attending a spiritual event. Now I call on Belarusians to fight against Lukashenko’s regime, which for more than five years has been destroying our country.” At the same time, Tsikhanouskaya noted that the heart of the Belarusian opposition scene belongs to her wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In the interview, she said: “The leader of the opposition is my wife, Sviatlana. I do not claim that position. The five years of isolation have left a mark — she is a more worthy and stronger leader for me. There are many such people among Belarusians who deserve to be in the opposition, and I have no intention of competing with them.” Thus, she fully supports the idea that the primary front of the fight against Lukashenko’s regime is led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In conclusion, Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude to European and American politicians for their consistent support of Belarusian democracy and for assisting in her release. “We are grateful for the support of our friends in the West. It gives us strength to continue fighting and to keep faith in our victory,” she stated. Tsikhanouskaya’s release occurred amid the visit of U.S. special envoy Keith Kelley to Belarus, which was perceived as a signal of support for the Belarusian opposition and the authorities in the West. According to Belarusian media, on the same day, it was decided to release immediately 14 political prisoners, some of whom are citizens of different countries: Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, the USA, and Japan. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kęstutis Pakalnis confirmed that the prisoners are safe and are receiving conditional assistance in Lithuania, which adds confidence in the sustainability and prospects of this transfer. During this historic event, society was filled with various assessments, analyses, and speculations regarding the future of Belarusian politics, possible new forms of resistance, and the significance of this release for the country’s internal discourse. However, it is already clear — for the opposition forces and for Belarusian democracy itself, this event has become a significant symbol of future change and new hope.