Belarus. War at the Gates

On February 24, the war began. Belarus is one of the parties to the conflict, giving Russia its territory to attack Ukraine. Today it is unknown what will happen next. The economic and humanitarian consequences for Belarus, our neighbors, and the whole of Europe are unpredictable. We asked several Belarusians of different ages, genders, and political beliefs about what is happening in Belarus today and what to expect next.

Andrew.

"About what's happening. Well, March 8 is not far away. Today I have been in the city - there were not many people. City mourns. People began to sell tulips so that I did not notice any queues. People are not too much money for sure. I was in a pawnshop, shelves cluttered with appliances. 

I have an idea to leave the country, of course. I have relatives there. But I'm still worried about my mother. She will have to make a greenhouse, and then collapsed over the winter. It is unknown when the border will be closed. If necessary, we will crawl on his stomach. I think India, Turkey, and Georgia are still our windows yet. Nobody wants a war, but everyone is afraid for their families, relatives, and friends.

 I was leaving work in the evening - a crowd of "astronauts" was standing near the station. I thought someone was being screwed, and now they are hesitating to a red jacket, and they surrounded the station - like a bomb there. MOE cars and ambulances drove. Maybe pumped, and perhaps someone called.

What are we waiting for? What will be worse, what else ... "

Snezhana.

"I'm not for whites. I'm not for reds. I want it all over soon."

Ivan.

"I did not notice any influx of buyers, in this sense, less and less than usual. But the number of people in the banks has increased significantly. So the feeling of tension in the air is present and quite severe.

I don't want to leave one mother. Therefore, I am moving from the capital to my hometown due to difficult economic circumstances. I may try to leave the country after a while, but I have decided to be close to my family for now.

Hoping that the border will not be closed is like believing that lukashenka will leave power on his own. There is no doubt that it will be closed. It is still half in that state. But you can always find a way out. To make your way through the forests to civilization is always an option. Especially since everything is going to, the security forces will soon be involved in a military conflict. In this case, the troops at the border may not be enough. I hope for this and I hope that there are many more intelligent people who will find the strength to avoid participating in the war or join Ukraine.

It seems that the war on the territory of Belarus can take place only in one case: if Belarus is attacked by someone who is now attacking Ukraine. But our military is not very handsome with weapons. After all, the acquaintances who went through the army said mostly how they failed to get to the landfill, how everything works poorly, not what good equipment they have, and that they can defend the country.

Is it possible to resist all this? A difficult question because the people have no weapons. Peaceful protests do not work. Most of the activists left. There is no certainty that our people will come out in crowds to stop the tanks, as in our Neighbors.
But on the other hand, they defend their homes only from invaders. Belarusians will have to resist the citizens of Belarus, who have been keeping the country in fear since August 2020. Is it only to guerrilla and hope for the honesty of some of the Belarusian army.

If putin and lukashenko remain on their "thrones," - it will be awful. It seems to have to envy the countries of Africa. And those that no one has ever envied. But if good wins - there will be a chance to secede from Russia. After all, we had to do that after the collapse of the USSR. This dependence of ours has led to what we have today. "

Marina.

"Everything is quiet here. There is enough in the shops. Everyone lives a normal life."

Peter.

"Everything is calm. There is no panic. Everything is getting more expensive, but the products are still there. But I don't know what will happen next. The dollar is jumping. They are reassuring on TV that everything is enough. But it is also a warning signal.

I think Belarus will not send troops to Ukraine. But the aggression is going on - because they are firing from our side, and Russian soldiers are coming.

Even greater friendship with Moscow awaits. We sold it to her with guts. All of these road maps are signed. And in Russia, they have reached the point where all independent media are closed down. "

Tatsiana.

"There is no excitement, there are products, but there is much less choice, there are no queues in stores. We do not plan to leave because we hope there will be no war. I do not know what to expect in the future, I can only assume that the mind will return to peace. I wanted my children and grandchildren to live in peace and harmony."
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