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Andrei Sannikov served as Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus under Alexander Lukashenko in the 1990s.
Guido Fieldsforeign editor
Andrei Sannikov (68) knows the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko (68) very well. When he became president in 1994, Sannikov worked under him as deputy foreign minister, but soon resigned in protest. A documentary film about Sannikov will be shown at the Solothurn Film Days. In it he says: “Lukashenko came with the aim of never leaving again.”
Blick spoke to the Lukashenko challenger in Solothurn about his fight against the dictator who is dependent on Putin and about Belarus’ involvement in the war in neighboring Ukraine.
Mr. Sannikov, Russian President Putin has announced that Belarusian soldiers will be involved in the war. Why hasn’t this happened until now?
Andrei Sannikov: Because Putin hasn’t given the order yet. But Belarus is already in the middle of a war. The invasion towards Kyiv started from Belarus, and the most recent rocket attacks also come from my homeland. Putin controls and manages his troops on Belarusian soil as he pleases.
When will there be another invasion of Ukraine from Belarus?
I can’t say when. But there are preparations. Putin must do something to turn the war around again.
How important is your country to Putin?
It is only 80 kilometers from Belarus to Kyiv. Without Lukashenko’s support, Putin cannot reach the Ukrainian capital with his troops and never win the war. He needs Lukashenko to show the world that he is not alone.
How close are Lukashenko and Putin?
They hate each other.
But they need each other.
They support each other to survive. It’s a relationship between criminals – between mafiosi. Without Lukashenko there would be no war.
How big is the support in Belarus for the war?
Only the uneducated and criminals stand behind Putin. There are many people in the army who demonstrated against Lukashenko a few years ago. If Lukashenko gives them the order to deploy, they will turn their guns on him and not on the Ukrainians.
Lukashenko’s challenger
The 58th Solothurn Film Festival will open on Wednesday with the documentary “This Kind Of Hope” about Andrei Sannikov (68). The Swiss-Polish filmmaker Pawel Siczek (45), who grew up in Libya and Winterthur, directed the film.
Sannikov was Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus under President Alexander Lukashenko (68) from 1995 to 1996, but soon resigned in protest at his style of rulership. Sannikov disarmed one of the most dangerous nuclear arsenals in Belarus. He also worked in the UN mission in Geneva and is now the chair of the citizens’ movement “European Belarus”.
In 2010 he ran in the presidential election against Lukashenko, who is still in power today. When he demonstrated against his opponent’s election victory, he was arrested and seriously injured in both legs. He was jailed for five years for “organizing mass riots”, but was released after two years. Sannikov is married and has two sons. Today he lives in political asylum in Warsaw.
The 58th Solothurn Film Festival will open on Wednesday with the documentary “This Kind Of Hope” about Andrei Sannikov (68). The Swiss-Polish filmmaker Pawel Siczek (45), who grew up in Libya and Winterthur, directed the film.
Sannikov was Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus under President Alexander Lukashenko (68) from 1995 to 1996, but soon resigned in protest at his style of rulership. Sannikov disarmed one of the most dangerous nuclear arsenals in Belarus. He also worked in the UN mission in Geneva and is now the chair of the citizens’ movement “European Belarus”.
In 2010 he ran in the presidential election against Lukashenko, who is still in power today. When he demonstrated against his opponent’s election victory, he was arrested and seriously injured in both legs. He was jailed for five years for “organizing mass riots”, but was released after two years. Sannikov is married and has two sons. Today he lives in political asylum in Warsaw.
Why is so little heard of the Belarusian opposition?
The opposition is in prison. Our revolution started in 2020 but it was crushed. Many of my friends have been killed or imprisoned. I had to leave my country.
Putin is running massive amounts of war propaganda to convince the Russian people of military action. Is there such propaganda in Belarus too?
In Belarus they are trying to copy Russian propaganda. She works primarily on TV, which is controlled and only reports pro-Russian. Certain sites are blocked on the Internet.
In recent days, representatives of the invaders have been using the word “Third World War”. How far will Putin go?
Until its end. He has no other choice because he has put himself in a situation where he will lose everything. He has practically the whole world against him.
Do you think Lukashenko now regrets cooperating with Putin?
Mafiosi do not regret their actions. He has put a lot of money into his own pocket and will continue to exploit the people. The only thing he regrets is that he himself did not become the Tsar in the Kremlin. He had such plans in 1996, when the end of then-President Boris Yeltsin was near.
You ran against Lukashenko in the 2010 election. Where would you have taken Belarus as President?
Westward to the EU and NATO. Our rights would be better protected there.
Lukashenko claims the opposite.
That’s exactly why I’m fighting him.
How is your fight today?
I have never resigned from diplomatic service for my country. I’m doing what I’ve always done. At that time I warned against a Russian attack on Ukraine, and also on Lithuania and Poland. Today I inform the world about what is happening in my country.
When will you be able to return to your home country?
Once freed.
When will that be?
Soon, in the foreseeable future.
Will you run for President again?
This question is not in the foreground at the moment. I will certainly be politically active. My team is still standing. When the dictator is gone, the construction work only begins.
How should Switzerland deal with Lukashenko?
Don’t make deals with the dictator and apply more pressure through sanctions. If the pressure is great enough, the political prisoners will be released. I am sure of that.
Although you don’t like being in the spotlight, you had a film made about you that is now celebrating its premiere in Solothurn. What do you want to achieve with the film?
I want to show the danger Lukashenko poses and make things change. And I wish that there would soon be a sequel to the film in which the beautiful sides of my country can also be shown.