Poczobut: Prison Guards Celebrated Attack on Ukraine with Soviet Songs
Journalist and former political prisoner Andrzej Poczobut told LRT how he learned about the war in Ukraine and what prison propaganda looked like after the war began.
Andrzej Poczobut. Photo: Andrzej Poczobut / Facebook
Andrzej says that prisoners learned about the start of the war on the very first day — via radio during a walk.
— It was hard to hear, the radio played quietly, so we didn't understand everything, but it became clear that military actions had begun between Russia and Ukraine. When we returned to the cell, songs from the Second World War, the so-called "Great Patriotic War" as it is called in Belarus, like "Rise Up, Vast Country" and similar compositions, suddenly started playing through the prison loudspeakers. These war songs played almost all day. The guards walked through the corridors in a visibly elevated mood.
Poczobut says that generally, the prison system of Belarus and the Ministry of Internal Affairs openly sympathize with Russia. From their side, phrases like "we can repeat Berlin" constantly echoed, says the former prisoner.
— I remember how they joyfully commented to each other: "khokhly are fleeing" — meaning, Ukrainians are running from their country, it will all be over soon. Confidence just flowed from them. They were so sure of themselves. However, it later became clear that the war was not developing as Russia expected. Ukraine began to defend itself, and this arrogance very quickly disappeared. The songs also fell silent — they were no longer played.
Journalists also asked him whether, in his opinion, there is a need to talk to Lukashenka today? Is such a dialogue a necessity or a mistake today? Poczobut says he is not yet ready to give a definitive answer.
— Ultimately, reality itself provides the answer — one must act in a way that yields results. If negotiations yield results, if they help achieve something, then one should talk. But if talks yield no results, what's the point of continuing them? — he says.
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Заўсёды, пры кожнай мажлівасці нагадваю ім пра іх дурасць і заўсёды троллю. Бо з рускамірных акрамя аналізаў нічога нельга ўзяць