Natalia Radina: Belarusians, Like Ukrainians, Need Security Guarantees
- 18.09.2026, 9:00
What should Americans discuss with Lukashenko?
On December 16, 25 political prisoners were released and deported to Lithuania from Belarusian prisons and penal colonies. In exchange, U.S. sanctions against the “Bellesbumprom” conglomerate and the “Lakokraska” company were lifted. Many Belarusian human rights activists noted that this number is too small.
We must demand that the dictator release all political prisoners and end repression in Belarus, emphasized "Novoye Vremya", Natalya Radina, editor-in-chief of the Charter97.org website..
“Lukashenko brazenly told U.S. officials that there are no political prisoners in Belarus,” she noted. - And, in essence, he said that political repression in the country will continue, that he has been and will continue to take new political hostages, and that the regime in Belarus will not change.
I think his brazenness is linked to the recent visit to the Kremlin by Donald Trump’s special envoys Steven Whitcoff and Jared Kushner, and their recent meeting with Putin. It appears that these talks ended in failure. In both cases, we see weakness on the part of the United States, which is afraid to put pressure on these overconfident dictators and demand real concessions from them.
Only 25 people have been released. Let me remind you that in March, 250 political prisoners were released, and in December 2025, 123 people were freed. That is why I maintain that releasing 25 people today in exchange for lifting sanctions on two major enterprises—an entire corporate group—and unfreezing funds in a U.S. bank is, after all, a very significant concession on the part of the Americans
We must demand that Lukashenko not only release all political prisoners but also put an end to political repression. We Belarusians need the same security guarantees that Ukrainians need today.
Ukraine is demanding security guarantees and a non-aggression pledge from Russia. The same applies to us with the dictator. We must demand a fundamental change in the regime’s policies, up to and including the removal of Lukashenko from power—a position he has held exclusively through illegal and violent means for 32 years.
Only then can we talk about fully lifting sanctions against the regime—provided there are genuine concessions on its part. Right now, we see that the American side is more willing to make concessions than the dictators.”
Another topic discussed in the interview with the Ukrainian publication *Novoye Vremya* was the command-and-staff exercises currently taking place on Belarusian territory, as well as the Russian regime’s support for its war against Ukraine.
“Over the past five and a half years, Belarus has essentially turned into a Russian military training ground, where command-and-staff and combined-arms exercises are constantly taking place,” said Natalya Radina. “Various Belarusian-Russian maneuvers involving different types of troops are taking place.
Russian military equipment is being deployed. Incidentally, the relay stations that are currently directing Russian drones toward Ukrainian cities continue to operate.
I’ll tell you more: there is currently information—which requires confirmation—that new relay stations are being built on Belarusian territory, in addition to the existing ones currently operating from the Brest and Gomel regions.
Lukashenko is currently playing a supporting role for Putin in the war against Ukraine. This has been going on for several years now. The relay stations have also been operating from Belarusian territory for quite some time. Do you realize that Russia constantly uses Belarusian airspace to launch both missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian territory? This is absolutely no secret. Not to mention how many missile launches took place in 2022 from Belarusian territory.
I’d like to remind you here that in June of this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a tough ultimatum to Lukashenko and demanded that these repeaters be shut down. Otherwise, he said, “we will shut down these repeaters ourselves.” They were shut down for a short time. But very soon after, the then-Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that they had resumed operation.
The relay stations have been operating for the past three months. And here, it seems to me, the reaction of Ukraine’s top military leadership is very important, as they must respond to these actions.”
Host Dmytro Tuzov noted that it seems some kind of game is being played. When there’s no activity, they’re turned off, and they say, “We turned them off.” But when massive shelling begins—when Russia launches hundreds of its drones—the repeaters may start working again.
According to Natalia Radina, Lukashenko understands that Ukraine could strike military targets on Belarusian territory, as well as oil refineries that supply fuel to the Russian army.
“That’s why the response from the Ukrainian side itself is extremely important today,” she said. “This is a question more for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the defense minister, and the commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. What will the Ukrainian side do in response to Lukashenko’s actions?
Remember how, a few years ago, we discussed this very same situation and said that if strikes from Belarusian territory on Ukrainian cities continued, it would be necessary to strike military targets in Belarus. Including oil refineries. Do you remember how Lukashenko reacted to that conversation of ours in a completely hysterical manner? He responded to it after a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow during a press conference for Russian journalists. This confirms that he is truly afraid. Therefore, the Ukrainian side must make it very clear to him that these statements by Zelenskyy and other officials are not empty words, not just bravado. They are a warning that will be immediately followed by concrete actions.”
Journalist Dmytro Tuzov asked about the likelihood of mobilization in Belarus and possible provocations by the Lukashenko regime.
“Lukashenko and Putin are acting in tandem,” said Natalya Radina. “I think it’s most likely that if an additional mobilization is announced in Russia, these newly mobilized troops will be trained at Belarusian training grounds. This already happened in 2022–2023. Russian recruits came to Belarus and were trained at Belarusian training grounds with the help of Belarusian and Russian instructors.
Will Lukashenko announce a mobilization in Belarus? It seems to me that he’ll be afraid to do so. He understands perfectly well that the overwhelming majority of Belarusians do not want to participate in this war; they do not want to fight. He is afraid to send the army to Ukraine because he understands that the soldiers lack a fighting spirit. No one is willing or eager to die for Russian interests in brotherly Ukraine. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will announce any kind of mobilization.
However, he will most likely provide support to the Russian army, carrying out whatever Putin wishes in this regard. But even this support role will allow the Russians to increase the intensity of military operations on the front lines.”
According to Natalya Radina, Belarusians understand why Russia attacked Ukraine and will not fight against their brotherly people.
“We admire the courage of the Ukrainians and wish the Ukrainian people victory,” she said. “Today, it is essential to step up aid to Ukraine, and in this regard, we are counting precisely on Europe, which has a vital interest in Ukraine’s victory and understands that its security today depends entirely on what is happening on the front lines in your country.”
Belarus is the homeland of the partisans. And I think that Belarusians will draw on all this experience if, God forbid, they are sent to Ukraine. They’ll surrender, engage in sabotage, and turn their weapons on their own commanders. But they won’t turn against our Ukrainian brothers.”