Moscow is breaking the script of Lukashenko's play
Clear signals have been received from Moscow that the Russian side does not intend to play along with the words of the founder of the extremist telegram channel “Nekhta” Roman Protasevich, voiced on state TV in Belarus, about the financing of the activities of the White Maidan activists by certain oligarchs from the Russian Federation. This version, before the start of the riots in Minsk, was actively promoted by the Belarusian authorities, who played the “multi-vector” game, claiming that large Russian businesses were encroaching on local independence, wanting to take over the factories of Belarus.
The owner of Uralchem and Uralkali, billionaire Dmitry Mazepin, had to refute hints of his involvement in the financing. He stated this on air on the NTV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“As for the main issue – financing. No first and last name was given, but certain facts were mentioned. This is a company that has the name “Ural”, which is a competitor of Gutseriev and is about meetings in Poland. I can answer directly and honestly - I am directly related to the Uralkali and Uralchem companies. But neither I nor my companies have ever financed the above telegram channels. As far as I know, Mikhail Gutseriev is involved in many projects, including the oil business and creativity. I have nothing to do with the first or the second, and we are not competitors,” Mazepin said.
He believes that Protasevich made his accusations in the interests of those who encouraged the efforts of the West in Belarus and therefore constantly throws hints about the “Russian trace” into the public space.
“I understand very well who it is. A young man, 26 years old, who managed to serve in the Nazi “Azov” in the Donbass, who worked for Western intelligence services and himself admits that he received a salary, who organized the headquarters of the Belarusian opposition, on the one hand, on the other - he faces capital punishment. I also well understand the authors of this political melodrama, who would like to hide the Western plan to seize Belarus by the special services. And at the same time, once again show the Russian trace. These same authors have already talked about the stories of Mick and Nick (allegedly intercepted a conversation between two Western agents, provided by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin - ed.), about the “Wagnerites” (33 employees of the Russian private security company who were arrested near Minsk and accused of trying to provoke mass protests - ed.). And now someone wanted to develop a story about a Russian company that is related to the Nekhta project.
As for the alleged meetings that took place in Poland. During Covid, it is very difficult to come somewhere and not be noticed, especially when special permits are needed. As for Poland, I have never been to this country in my life. And it’s unpleasant for me to talk about the financing of Tlegram channels, not because there are no facts, but because it contradicts my views,” Mazepin said, emphasizing that he was born in Belarus, but is a citizen of Russia and considers the people of these countries united.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov also spoke out today about the situation with Protasevich’s accusations.
“Nobody accused Mazepin of anything. His last name was not pronounced. He or the Belarusian side must explain who we are talking about. There is hardly any need to play cat and mouse here. Businessman Mazepin, associated with the Urals, said that he had nothing to do with this and could not have anything to do with it. Protasevich was probably talking about someone else. We don’t know who he was talking about, but he himself did not specify, and the Belarusian side did not specify. Since such accusations were made, some kind of clarification should probably follow,” Peskov said.
Liberal political scientist Stanislav Belkovsky interpreted his words as a sign that “the Kremlin came to the defense of tycoon Dmitry Mazepin.”
“Hardly anyone believes that there is at least a grain of truth in the words of hostage Lukashenko, written by the dictator himself,” agrees liberal publicist Kirill Shulika.
In an interview with the Belarusian TV channel ONT, Protasevich said that Nekhta has received regular funding from Russia since August last year. He believes that cooperation with the Russian oligarch was not limited to the transfer of several thousand euros. Allegedly, the head of Nekhta, Stepan Putilo, met with a Russian sponsor who flew to him in Warsaw.
“The situation is twofold: Mazepin had and still has his own reasons for not loving Old Man, but it would certainly never have occurred to Mazepin to finance the Belarusian opposition from the company’s personal account, as Protasevich stated. So, even despite Mazepin’s long silence (well, the man was nervous, his son beat Hamilton himself in Formula 1 yesterday), he is, of course, more credible than Protasevich, whose speech with a passage about Lukashenko’s steel balls was clearly prepared in the dungeons of the Belarusian KGB.” , writes the Telegram channel “Mediatechnologist”, which was founded by technologist Dmitry Kiryan.
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