Russia Plans to Fully Control Belarus by 2030, Journalists Find Kremlin Internal Document

A group of journalists has gained access to an internal document from the Russian authorities titled "Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation Towards Belarus," which outlines plans for the Kremlin to fully control Belarus's politics, economy, and military capabilities by 2030, as reported by Meduza citing Dossier Center.

The plan was developed in 2021 and spans just 17 pages, detailing the political, defense, trade, and social goals of the Belarusian authorities, categorized into short-term (by 2022), medium-term (by 2025), and long-term (by 2030) phases.

By 2030, Russian authorities aim to align Belarusian legislation with Russian standards, control the republic's foreign policy in line with the interests of the Russian Federation, increase military presence in the country, and dominate the information space. Russia seeks to establish the superiority of the Russian language over Belarusian and implement a simplified procedure for granting Russian passports to Belarusian citizens.

The Russian authorities were preparing to implement these plans, including through the agreement on the Union State, signed by the leadership of Russia and Belarus back in 1999. Negotiations around this agreement have been protracted for two decades.