Belarus And Ukraine: Understanding Their Geographical Relationship

Belarus and Ukraine share an 891-km border and have historically been part of the same political entities, including Kievan Rus' (9th to 13th centuries CE) and the Soviet Union. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine from Belarus, with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko allowing Russian troops and equipment to pass through his territory. While Belarus has denied the presence of its troops in Ukraine, its relationship with Russia has raised concerns about its direct involvement in the conflict.

Belarus and Ukraine share an 891-km border

Belarus and Ukraine share a border that is approximately 1,084km (674 miles) long. The border starts at the meeting point of Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland, and stretches to the meeting point of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. The border is situated in the Polesian Lowland, which spans from the Western Bug to the Dnieper along the Pripyat River. The western end of the border starts at the Western Bug, around the Shatsky Lakes, and runs eastward across the Pinsk Marshes. It then stretches in a southward direction, parallel to the Pripyat River, passing wooded areas contaminated by the Chernobyl disaster. The border passes just north of Pripyat city, then turns southeast with the river and continues to run parallel to it. As the border reaches the Dnieper River, it turns north towards Homiel and runs along the river. At the midpoint between Homiel and Ripky, the border turns and runs eastward towards the Central Russian Upland, where it ends at the meeting point with the Russian border.

The border between Belarus and Ukraine has been the site of military activity and tension. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine as part of the Kyiv offensive. In April 2022, Ukrainian troops regained control of sections of the border near Pripyat. In August 2024, Ukraine called on Belarus to withdraw its troops from the border, citing intelligence that Belarus had gathered a significant number of personnel, weapons, and military equipment in the Gomel region near Ukraine's northern border. Ukraine warned of "tragic consequences" if Belarus joined the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stated that any violation of its border by Belarus would result in retaliatory measures.

In response to Ukraine's warnings, Belarus accused Ukraine of violating its airspace during Ukraine's attack on Russia's Kursk region and sending troops to their shared border. Belarus's defence minister asserted that they were ready for retaliatory action if Ukrainian soldiers entered their territory. However, despite the military buildup and escalating tensions, a direct conflict between Belarus and Ukraine has not occurred as of yet.

The border between Belarus and Ukraine has historical roots. It corresponds to the administrative border between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland under the Union of Lublin. After World War I and the Treaty of Riga, the western portion of the border coincided with the administrative border of the Polesia and Volyn provinces of the interwar Polish Republic, while the eastern portion coincided with the border between the Soviet republics of Belarus and Ukraine. The border between the two Soviet republics was officially recognised by the Treaty between the Ukrainian SSR and the Belarusian SSR in December 1990.

Belarus allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its territory

Belarus is located north of Ukraine, with which it shares a 1,084 km (674 mi) border. Belarus allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its territory, giving Russia the shortest possible land route to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. In the early days of the invasion, Belarus also facilitated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine on its border.

Before the invasion, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to perform weeks-long military drills on its territory. However, the Russian troops did not leave the country as agreed and, instead, used Belarus as a staging ground for the invasion. Belarus granted Russia full access to its military airbases and allowed the use of its missile systems to launch attacks on Ukraine.

The involvement of Belarus in the Russian invasion was met with international condemnation, resulting in sanctions from the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. Despite assurances from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that his country's troops would not participate directly in the conflict, there have been reports and concerns that Belarus may become more directly involved.

The Belarusian population largely opposes their country's involvement in the war. Protests have been held, and many Belarusians have actively supported Ukraine, with some even joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Belarus has denied the presence of its troops in Ukraine

In the early days of the invasion, Belarus allowed Russia to launch part of its invasion from Belarusian territory, providing the shortest land route to Kyiv. However, these forces withdrew within two months, and as of early 2023, the Belarusian Armed Forces (BAF) have not been directly involved in the conflict and have remained on Belarusian territory.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has stated that he will not send soldiers into Ukraine unless his country is attacked first. He has assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Belarus's armed forces will not participate in the conflict on Russia's side. Despite this assurance, there have been several reports of Belarusian troops in Ukraine. In February and March 2022, various sources, including the Belarusian opposition media and Ukrainian military officials, claimed that Belarusian soldiers were among the wounded and killed troops in Ukraine. However, these reports could not be independently confirmed, and a Ukrainian presidential adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, stated that earlier claims of Belarusian involvement were based on Russian attempts to project the image of Belarusian aggression.

The involvement of Belarus in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been a source of concern for the international community, with the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan imposing sanctions against the country. Belarus's participation in the military conflict is also unpopular among its general population, with protests held and hacker groups targeting government agencies and critical infrastructure.

Belarus and Ukraine were historically part of Kievan Rus

Kievan Rus' was ruled by the Rurik dynasty, founded by the Varangian prince Rurik. It was known as the "Rus' land" and later gave rise to the names of Belarus and Russia, with the name "Kievan Rus" derived from what is now the capital of Ukraine. At its height in the mid-11th century, it stretched from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south and encompassed a diverse range of polities and peoples, including East Slavic, Norse, and Finnic groups.

The formation of Kievan Rus' began with the unification of East Slavic lands by Oleg the Wise, who ruled from 879 to 912. Subsequent rulers, such as Sviatoslav I and Vladimir the Great, further expanded the territory and spread Christianity. Yaroslav the Wise, who ruled from 1019 to 1054, marked the zenith of Kievan Rus' power and continued its expansion.

However, starting in the late 11th century, Kievan Rus' began to decline due to internal rivalries and external factors like the decline of the Byzantine Empire, its major economic partner. The state gradually disintegrated into rival regional powers, and by the mid-13th century, it fell to the Mongol invasion. Despite this, the cultural and historical legacy of Kievan Rus' remains significant in the region, and it is considered the first period of modern Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian histories.

Belarus has not been successful in using propaganda to garner support for the conflict

Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe that borders Russia to its east and Ukraine to its south. While the country has maintained a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, its president, Alexander Lukashenko, has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine and allowed Russian troops to pass through Belarus to invade Ukraine.

Despite his support for Russia, Lukashenko has not been successful in using propaganda to garner support for the conflict from the Belarusian people. A survey conducted by the think tank Chatham House in August 2022 found that only 25% of Belarusians supported Russia's actions, while a significant 97% opposed the deployment of Belarusian troops. This wariness towards the conflict can be attributed to Belarus's history and aspirations for neutrality.

Belarusian society considers the war senseless and harmful to their country. This perspective is shaped by their historical memory of "the great patriotic war" (World War II), during which Belarus sustained the most casualties per capita among all the former Soviet republics. Since gaining independence in 1991, Belarus has aspired for neutrality, which was enshrined in its constitution. However, this neutrality was jeopardized in 2020 when Lukashenko was forced to align with Russia's President Vladimir Putin due to protests challenging the Belarusian election.

Lukashenko's unpopularity and the lack of credibility of Belarus's state media contribute to the ineffectiveness of propaganda. A poll in 2020 found that only 3% intended to vote for Lukashenko, indicating his lack of support among the Belarusian people. Additionally, the state media has little trustworthiness with ordinary citizens, especially after Lukashenko's mismanagement of messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Belarusian state media is seen as a relic of Soviet times, lacking investment and sophistication. Lukashenko has struggled to adapt to modern communications, and his government primarily blocks and jams outside information rather than crafting emotionally appealing messages that resonate with the audience.

In contrast, Russia has developed an effective propaganda machine that is entertaining, confusing, and overwhelming. They flood their citizens with information through multiple channels, making it difficult to discern truth from falsehoods. Russia has successfully targeted social media platforms like Telegram to spread pro-Kremlin narratives and promote the idea of Russia as the underdog fighting against the West.

While Russia has been successful in manipulating public opinion and maintaining support for the conflict, Belarus has faced challenges in doing so due to its less sophisticated propaganda apparatus and the war-averse nature of its citizens.

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