Kalesnikava: Crimea is Ukrainian, Putin started the war, Belarusian leadership is also to blame
At a meeting with journalists in Berlin, former political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava answered sharp ideological questions, the evasion of which she and Viktar Babaryka were often accused of, writes "Euroradio".

Maria Kalesnikava on February 10, 2026. Photo: Lookby.media
"Crimea is unequivocally Ukrainian. For me, this was always a strange question, because I answered it for myself 12 years ago," said Kalesnikava.
She answered just as unequivocally to the question of who is to blame for the war:
"Putin attacked Ukraine. Kyiv was bombed. I saw it myself in the news on February 24 in prison. Putin started the war, he kills people – both his own and others'. This is absolutely cynical and unacceptable."
Regarding Lukashenka's complicity in the war, Maria answered as follows:
"Everyone knows that in the first days, Russian troops entered, among other things, from the territory of Belarus. I believe that everything possible should have been done to avoid this, to prevent it from happening."
And Lukashenka did not do what he should have done:
"To say that the leadership [of the country] is not to blame – no, it is to blame. For Belarus being in such a state now and potentially losing its sovereignty. And this is all a consequence of this indulgence, allowing Putin to act in such a way on Belarusian territory."
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Comments
Маша,
1. Расея - вораг?
2. Якая мова павінна быць дзяржаўнай на Беларусі?
Гучыць прыгожа, але ж якія варыянты былі б у іншага прэзідэнта Беларусі? Што б рабіла Калеснікава, калі б яна была на месцы Лукі? Пытанне не тэарэтычнае, а практычнае.
Аматарам разумець свет паводле заяваў і загалоўкаў усе ўмовы выкананыя - і пра Крым, і Севярынец слоўца закінуў, і хто пачаў вайну, і хто памочнікам...
Ці сёння ўжо дагадзіла вам Калеснікава?
Ці яшчэ чаго не стае?
)))