"Belarusians View The Kremlin With Disdain"
- 13.06.2026, 16:49
Pashinyan's victory sent a warning signal to Putin and Lukashenko.
The decisive victory of Nikol Pashinyan's party in the parliamentary elections marked yet another geopolitical defeat for the Kremlin. The election results confirm Armenia’s course toward integration with the EU and a departure from Russia’s orbit.
What does Pashinyan’s victory mean for Belarusians? What message does it send us?
The website Charter97.org spoke with former political prisoner and coordinator of the “European Belarus” civic campaign Andrei Voinich:
— We should start by saying that, in principle, everyone is already fed up with Russia. And in this context, Russia in general, just like the Russian people, thanks to the Kremlin, has virtually no allies left.
If we’re talking about Armenia now, a very large number of Armenians used to support Russia. But, having witnessed the lawlessness that Russia perpetrated in Georgia and is now perpetrating in Ukraine, as well as in other countries around the world, the Armenians understood everything and turned away. They were very lucky to have found a truly worthy leader who cares about the Armenian people.
For Belarusians, this victory means that the country can change course. We see that Belarusians are no longer merely skeptical, but quite aggressive, even treating the Kremlin with a certain contempt and disdain. At the same time, Belarusians do not like Lukashenko. Neither in Belarus nor abroad do Belarusians like Lukashenko, nor have they ever liked him. Lukashenko loves only himself.
This means that right now, at any moment, if a true leader emerges—and such leaders exist— I’m not talking about those so-called “democratic forces”—in quotes—who simply squander grants and steal from ordinary Belarusians abroad, but about those leaders who can truly inspire people to follow them, Belarus will change course. For this to happen, a number of circumstances and facts are needed to facilitate it.
Pashinyan’s victory itself serves as a good example for Belarusians of how a country can change in an instant. Of course, we need to work toward that moment.