Rygorich, Thonglun And Sultan Ibrahim.

• 8.05.2026, 11:45

Bespridanitsa is going to Moscow.

When a war ends with the victory of one tyrant over another, many years later this victory is celebrated by other tyrants. They safely forget about the victims of the war. And the descendants of the heroes and victims refuse to celebrate and even sometimes to commemorate, just to avoid being in the same boat with the tyrants.

Parades become comic shows, and the masquerades pretending to be veterans look pathetic. As for the aging tyrants themselves, they become more repulsive every year, and so do their celebrations. And now people who for many years sincerely congratulated those who went through the war for having survived and overcome, are tearing away this part of their lives and memories: no, don't associate us with these people, who put on marshal's epaulettes or awards not meant for them and use other people's feats for their own pleasure, rattling weapons and new murders.

Lukashenko pretended to the victory over fascism in every possible way: he made up his father who died at the front, dressed up his youngest son in a uniform, dressed himself up, and stood on the tribunes with a solemn look while Ceramino toilet bowls and Atlant refrigerators rolled by. He even agreed with his only ally to split the dates: May 9 parade in Moscow, where you have to go as a guest and a petitioner, and July 3 - in Minsk, on a residual principle, with the toilet bowls.

May 9 parade in Minsk is held only once every five years. And the creepiest was six years ago, in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. The whole world was sitting at home, realizing that the lockdown was hard, but necessary, while in Minsk they drove people to the parade with the same orders to enterprises and threats to students to kick them out of their dormitories. And they demanded to come without masks, but with flags. At the same time Lukashenko said that he couldn't refuse to hold the parade because Belarusians are the heirs of the Victory, and it was the parade that the war dead dreamed of. Yes, so the front-line soldiers dreamed that their descendants would lie under ventilators and die in intensive care from a new virus decades later because of the whim of one man.

And last year, when Russia bombed Ukraine, Lukashenko enjoyed the spectacle of military planes and helicopters in the air and did not realize that for Belarusians in the current circumstances, military equipment in the streets and in the sky is a blow to the psyche, nerves and emotions. Especially taking into account that in the sky above the heads of Belarusians Russian fighters with the frightening name of "Russian Knights aerobatic group" were also buzzing. Or, on the contrary, Lukashenko understood everything perfectly.

Now he's flying to Moscow for Putin's parade. Putin doesn't like it when junior allies frequent his own parades: they have to be there, standing on the bleachers and making it look like not just a nationwide but a worldwide celebration. The worldwide lobby certainly looks impressive: Lukashenko, Dodik, Fitzo, Gagloev, Thonglun Sisulit and Sultan Ibrahim. Sounds, doesn't it? No worse than "a bubble, a straw and a lapotle."

And lastly, before leaving for Dodik and Putin, Lukashenko presented state awards on the occasion of the holiday. Predominantly to law enforcers. Because for him they are the winners. In Lukashenko's head everything has been mixed up for a long time: he thinks that it was he and his balabas who defeated the fascists and now he is handing out orders to the heroes. For him World War II is a distant beginning of his personal war against us. Just as it seems to Putin as if "grandfathers fought" so that many years later he can pour fire on Ukrainian cities. After all, his idol Stalin would certainly approve of such a thing (he would, by the way, really approve).

Well, as we used to say in childhood, we can do without the snotty ones. They have so polluted the date of May 9 that their parades are now only a topic for memes and stand-ups. Especially if Lukashenko again, as a couple of years ago, will not be able to walk a few steps on Red Square and will ask to be taken by a cart. But we are even closer to the European community: we will celebrate Victory in Europe Day on May 8 like everyone else. Without parades and lies, without pathos and falsity, without masquerades and strangers. Let's remember our dead, reflect and promise that we will not forget. They wouldn't want anything more from us.

So Lukashenko speaks in vain about the heirs of the Victory, meaning himself, of course. You are no heir, Rygorych. Those who have been in the ground for a long time have already disinherited you. You are a dispossessed woman.

Irina Khalip, especially for Charter97.org.