Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy in Vilnius, where she met with the Academy’s Chief of Staff, Lt Col Denisas Starikovičius.
During her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya urged not to give in to the regime’s provocations and manipulations and to distinguish the Belarusian people from the pro-Russian regime: “Belarusians respect Lithuania, its history, culture, and sovereignty. We must reject and prevent all attempts to drive a wedge between our nations. Our shared history is what unites and strengthens us”.
She emphasized security issues and modern challenges: “Hybrid attacks against Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia, and the use of migrants as a weapon, are tools of retaliation by the regime for your principled stance. But we understand where the real threat lies. Our common enemy is the Lukashenka dictatorship and Russian imperialism”.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya added that Ukraine’s victory would pave the way for a free Belarus and lasting security in the entire region: “The fight for Ukraine is also a fight for Belarus and for all of Europe. Only a free and democratic Belarus can become a reliable neighbor and a guarantor of Lithuania’s security”.
The meeting concluded with a discussion between Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and the academy’s officers and representatives, during which she answered questions about support for Ukraine, combating hybrid threats, peace negotiations on Ukraine, and the work of Belarus’ democratic forces.
