Sanctions begin to cripple Russian ally Belarus over nation’s support of Ukraine invasion

One of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies abroad is feeling the heat after being pummelled for picking sides in the Ukraine invasion.

Belarus is beginning to feel the heat of ongoing economic sanctions as a result for assisting Russia's military in Ukraine.

Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies throughout the Ukraine invasion, is beginning to crack under the pressure of global condemnation as sanctions batter the economy.

On Thursday, Australia imposed further costs on Russia and its allies for its “unprovoked, illegal, and immoral war on Ukraine” in an attempt to cripple the war from within.

The Australian government is extending the application of a punitive tariff on goods imported from Russia and Belarus for a further 12 months until October 2023, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said in a joint statement with Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism.

The additional 35 per cent tariff on Russian imports, together with the prohibition on energy imports, has had a significant impact on trade.

Australia has also directed Export Finance Australia to reject any requests for loans or other finance that support trade with, or investment in, Russia or Belarus.

“This legal direction will ensure Russia and Belarus do not benefit from any financing provided by Export Finance Australia,” the statement read.

“These measures are intended to undermine Russia‘s ability to fund its invasion of Ukraine.”

But Belarus officials have already begun to feel the heat of global condemnation for their role in assisting Putin’s forces and allowing attacks to be launched from their soil, which is perched north west of some of Ukraine’s most populous cities.

The nation’s finance ministry has now confirmed they are unable to repay foreign debt obligations due to the stranglehold on the economy.

“The possibility of repaying debt obligations in foreign currency in the standard manner is currently limited due to the sanctions against Belarus,” the country‘s finance ministry said in a Wednesday statement.

Earlier this week, the World Bank confirmed it had put loans made to Belarus into “nonperforming” status due to past-due amounts of $68.4 million (A$109 million).

We will continue providing Ukraine and its courageous people with all necessary support - military, economic & humanitarian. They must defeat terrorist Russia and its shameful accomplice Belarus, and they will! We will!#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 https://t.co/dyXsyoQny9

— LT_OSCE (@LT_OSCE) October 19, 2022

Lukashenko is bankrupting Belarus. That's what happens when you are a failing country and are waging war against your neighbour https://t.co/UqJWr6YoMs

— Clemens Wergin (@clemenswergin) October 19, 2022

Despite ongoing backlash, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has gestured his country may join the fighting on Ukrainian soil as Russia’s military faces ongoing setbacks.

On October 10, Lukashenko announced the deployment of a “joint Belarus-Russia military group” in response to an alleged threat of attack from Ukraine’s forces.

Belarus has also provided logistics support, maintained supply lines and medical care for Russian soldiers, while also providing airfields to launch air attacks on Ukraine.

There have also been reports that shipments of Belarusian tanks and ammunition have been made to Donbas and Crimea, regions under Russian control in Ukraine’s east.

Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies throughout the Ukraine invasion, is beginning to crack under the pressure of global condemnation as sanctions batter the economy.

On October 10, Lukashenko announced the deployment of a ‘joint Belarus-Russia military group’ in response to an alleged threat of attack from Ukraine’s forces.

Lukashenko has continued his push against Belarusian dissenters, jailing another dozen opponents of his authoritarian regime for terms of up to 25 years.

The jail sentences continue a crackdown on the opposition and media that began in earnest in 2020 after Lukashenko claimed a sixth term in disputed elections that sparked mass protests.

Nine of the activists were given sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years in prison, including Orthodox priest Sergei Rezanovich jailed for 16 years.

The regime sentenced Siarhei Hlebka, a railway partisan that disrupted the movement of 🇷🇺equipment, to 11 years in prison.

Repressions are intensifying. Lukashenka's police detain up to 40 people on political grounds daily. There are 1347 political prisoners in Belarus.

— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) October 19, 2022

In 2020, Belarusians formed historic protests against the re-election of Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet country with an iron fist for nearly 30 years.

Thousands of activists were arrested in the crackdown and the key leaders of the opposition movement are now either jailed or in exile.

Many independent media and NGOs have also been banned or shut down, with their leaders forced to flee the authoritarian state.

Lukashenko has continued his push against Belarusian dissenters, jailing another dozen opponents of his authoritarian regime for terms of up to 25 years.

Originally published as Sanctions begin to cripple Russian ally Belarus over nation’s support of Ukraine invasion