Belarus Review by iSANS — March 25, 2024 

Belarus Review (2024 edition, issue 12)

A weekly update on the ongoing political crisis in the Republic of Belarus was prepared for you by the International Strategic Action Network for Security (iSANS).

The combat readiness inspection of the Armed Forces of Belarus, which started on March 11, has continued. As before, the main role in the ongoing inspection is assigned to the 19th Mechanized Brigade (separate mechanized brigade). Part of the brigade’s units remain in Oshmiany district. The military has set up checkpoints, where together with the border guard bodies, they started carrying out service. To complete the staffing of the 19th separate mechanized brigade, the conscription of persons liable for military duty was completed. A total of about 5,000 reservists were called up, which would allow the brigade to be deployed with up to the wartime staffing levels. Classes on basic combat training subjects were conducted with the conscripts. The training is conducted by instructors trained in Russia, as well as mercenaries of the PMC “Wagner”. A field hospital was deployed at the Lepelski training ground by the special purpose medical unit of the 432nd Main Military Clinical Medical Center of the Armed Forces. The unit performs tasks on the medical care of servicemen and military conscripts called up from the reserve. Some of the units of the 19th separate mechanized brigade, supplemented by reservists, began moving to training grounds. The exercises will take place, among other things, on the territory of the Pastavy district, which borders Lithuania. Units of the Western Operational Command continued to participate in the inspection. In total, two mechanized battalions, two artillery divisions, and a mortar battery were involved in the inspection. In total, this included about 850-900 personnel, 62 armored combat vehicles, 110 units of automotive equipment, and 30 artillery systems. It should be noted that on March 20-21, some units of the Western Operational Command were withdrawn from the border with Lithuania, participating in the combat readiness check. On March 21, the Defense Ministry also reported that one of the divisions of the 120th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade was put on alert to perform its intended tasks. The brigade is armed with Buk surface-to-air missiles. The scale of the ongoing combat readiness inspection still does not pose any threat to the countries bordering Belarus.

On March 18, servicemen of the tank battalion of one of the mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Belarus went to the 333rd combat training center (Mulino settlement, Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia) for joint training with servicemen of the Armed Forces of Russia. This is not the first group of Belarusian servicemen to be trained at the 333rd center. Previously, servicemen of motorized rifle and tank units of the Armed Forces of Belarus have already been trained there. Usually, the training course lasts about a month.

The visit to Cuba of the Belarusian military delegation headed by Chief of the General Staff Viktar Gulevich has continued. During the visit, the Belarusian delegation held talks with the Cuban Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff. The parties exchanged views on the issues of deepening mutually beneficial areas of military cooperation and confirmed their interest in further strengthening of Belarusian-Cuban partnership.

During tactical exercises at the Osipovichi shooting range, the 51st Artillery Brigade practiced for the first time the target engagement with the corrected artillery shell “Krasnopol”, using target designation from the Russian-made unmanned aerial vehicle “Orlan-30”.

From July 2023 to March 2024, more than two thousand servicemen and cadets of the Faculty of Internal Troops went through training with the mercenaries of PMC “Wagner”. The mercenaries continue to train not only the servicemen of the internal troops but also the Armed Forces of Belarus.

On March 18, the government of Ukraine proposed to the Verkhovna Rada to denounce an agreement between the Government of Belarus and the Government of Ukraine, signed on June 7, 2000, on cooperation in the prevention of emergency situations and the mitigation of their consequences. On the same day, it was announced that the Agreement between Belarus and Ukraine on rail transport, signed on December 17, 1992, in Kyiv, was terminated.

On March 19, it became known that the Israeli gaming company “Playtika” stopped its operations in Belarus. The employees of the Minsk office of the company shall inform the leadership until March 20, whether they want to relocate as there won’t be any work possible from Minsk.

On March 20, the General Court of the European Union in Luxembourg lifted restrictive measures imposed by the Council of the European Union against the Belarusian tire manufacturer Belshyna. The sanctions were first imposed on December 2, 2021, and then prolonged with consecutive Council decisions for the involvement of Belarus in Russia‘s war of aggression against Ukraine. With the latest decision, the court lifted the sanctions against the company and ordered the EU Council to pay the trial costs.

Against the background of messages received by Lithuanian politicians with threats allegedly from groups promoting “Litvinism“ in the Belarusian diaspora and a public discussion on manifestations of “Litvinism”, the State Security Department of Lithuania stated that there are no signs that the radical nationalist views, which include territorial revisionism, are widespread among Belarusians who have come to Lithuania since the 2020 repressions in the neighboring country. The Department monitors the processes in the new Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania to identify and prevent risks and threats to national security. According to the available data, there are no organized groups in Lithuania promoting the ideology of “Litvinism” which could pose a threat to the country‘s independence, constitutional order, and territorial integrity,” the agency posted on its Facebook page.

On March 20, five EU member states, Poland, Czechia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, called on the European Commission to ban grain imports from Russia and Belarus to the European Union. The Ministers of Agriculture of the named countries signed an appeal stating that Russia uses profits from grain imports to the EU countries to finance its war against Ukraine.

After the first day of the EU Council meeting on March 21 in Brussels, the EU leaders called on the EU High Representative and the European Commission to draft another sanctions package against Belarus, North Korea, and Iran for aiding Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine. EU leaders also welcomed the adoption of the 13th package of sanctions and noted that their full and effective implementation is essential, as is closing all loopholes inside and outside the EU.

Last week, the Leader of the Belarusian Democratic Forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was on a working visit in Brussels (March 18-20), where she attended the formal opening of the Eleventh Ordinary Session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, gave a speech emphasizing the importance of the European future for Belarus, and called for including Belarusian democratic forces in the European Union’s Eastern Partnership program. The regime suspended Belarus’ participation in the program in 2021. Moreover, the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus launched the Belarus Day at the European Parliament on March 20, including the exhibition “I am not afraid, let them be afraid“ about the life and significance of political prisoner and renowned human rights defender, winner of the Nobel peace prize Ales Bialiatski. On March 22, Tsikhanouskaya gave an opening speech at the Kalinowski Conference in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. On March 23-24, Tsikhanouskaya attended the Third Conference of the Belarusian diaspora in Czechia, where she gave a speech, emphasizing the importance of the Belarusian community and noting that no one but Belarusians themselves can solve their problems. The conference featured three panels, during which well-known representatives of democratic forces and civil society shared their thoughts and answered questions.

About 40 Ukrainian children from the occupied part of Kherson region were brought to Belarus. They will stay for two weeks at the Lesnaya Polyana rehabilitation and wellness center in Hrodna region. Yulia Malava, a representative of Aliaksei Talai’s Foundation, says that the children were brought to Belarus “for rehabilitation.” Aliaksei Talai has already participated in the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories and is under European sanctions.

On March 18, the Zavadski District Court of Minsk sentenced politicians and activists Alena Zhivaglod, Aliaksandr Dabravolski, Pavel Lieber, and Pavel Marynich to four years of imprisonment in absentia. They were accused of obstructing the work of the Central Election Commission, committed with the use of threats and in other ways, by a group of persons by prior agreement. According to the case file, “In January-February 2022, the accused, together with other persons, took part in the development and implementation of a unified plan of illegal actions to disrupt the republican referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus.” The plan envisaged sending “letters with the text developed by the accused” to the place of work and residence of the members of the Central Election Commission and the referendum commissions. As was previously reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office, the letters “contained threats to intimidate, form doubts about the legality of their actions and feelings of guilt for working as part of election commissions, instilled ideas about the impossibility of the current government to ensure their safety.” Alena Zhivaglod is the head of the Honest People initiative, until recently she was the deputy speaker of the Coordination Council for the settlement of the political crisis. Aliaksandr Dabravolski is a senior political adviser to the leader of Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Pavel Lieber is the founder of the Golos and the New Belarus online platforms. Pavel Marynich is the head of the Malanka Media project and the founder of the Zubr platform.

The Investigative Committee announced the initiation of new criminal cases within the framework of the special procedure, that is, in absentia against people who left Belarus. Cases against 11 people are being investigated. Opera singer Marharyta Liauchuk is accused of creating or participating in an extremist formation, insulting Lukashenka, and abusing state symbols. The opposition activist, wife of politician Valery Tsepkala, Veranika Tsepkala, is accused of plotting to seize power, creating an extremist formation, slandering Lukashenka, and discrediting Belarus. Special procedures have been also launched against producer and ex-husband of Marharyta Liauchuk, Aliaksandr Chakhouski, bloggers Andrei and Volha Pavuk, activist Volga Karach, former employee of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatol Kotau, vocalist of the Gods Tower musical band Uladzislau Navazhilau, as well as a member of the opposition party Narodnaya Gramada Yauhen Vilsky, architect Vadzim Dzmitryonak and activist Illya Salyankou. Blogger Andrei Pavuk has a record number of charges – 13. He is, among other things, accused of inciting hostility, financing extremist activities, and threatening a judge.

The Investigative Committee announced the initiation of a criminal case against representatives of the People’s Embassies of Belarus and “Belarusians abroad”. It was initiated under the charge of the creation of an extremist formation or participation in it. Investigative actions are being carried out, including inspections, searches, and seizure of property. According to the Investigative Committee, the People’s Embassies and information centers of “Belarusians abroad” were established to “isolate the diplomatic missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and block any contacts of foreign citizens, organizations and governments with Belarusian diplomats.” The People’s Embassies were allegedly engaged in “information campaigns to discredit our country in the eyes of Western politicians,” the Investigative Committee stated. “By manipulating public consciousness, the leaders and participants of pseudo-popular gatherings actively generated information, political and economic pressure on the current authorities and officials of Belarus, were spreading deliberately false information about the political, economic, social, military and international situation of the country, the legal status of citizens; called for the imposition of sanctions; incited socio-political and ideological hostility. They were engaged in the escalation of anti-state protest sentiments in society. In this way, they tried to harm national security. Behind the mask of building the so-called “new Belarus” and the formation of an alternative system of authorities was the idea of forcibly seizing state power,” the Investigative Committee claimed. It stated it has information about more than 100 representatives of “radical diasporas.” The project of the People’s Embassies of Belarus was launched in 2020 for the protection of rights, support, and solidarity of Belarusians in different countries of the world. In February 2024, the KGB recognized the project as an “extremist” formation.

On March 19, the trial of the musicians of the Nizkiz band began in Minsk. Aliaksandr Ilyin, Siarhei Kulsha, and Dzmitry Khalyaukin were accused of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order or actively participating in them for participating in protests in 2020. They face up to four years of imprisonment. The musicians were detained on January 5, 2024. They were tried on administrative charges but were later transferred to a pre-trial detention center within the frame of a criminal case.

On March 22, the Minsk City Court sentenced journalist Ihar Karney, known as the author of texts about the cultural and historical heritage of Belarus, as well as a travel blogger, to three years of imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 Belarusian rubles (more than 6,000 USD). He was accused of participating in an extremist community for cooperation with the Belarusian Association of Journalists, which was recognized as an extremist formation in March 2023. European diplomats from Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom came to the courthouse on March 19, when the trial began, in solidarity with Ihar Karney and other politically motivated convicts.

Political prisoner Eduard Babaryka, who is serving his sentence in correctional colony N 2 in Bobruisk, is held in a cell-type room. Son of Viktar Babaryka, banker and public figure, presidential candidate in 2020, was transferred to the Bobruisk colony at the end of 2023 or the very beginning of 2024. Unlike the rest of the prisoners, he was not assigned to any detachment — from the very start he was punished with disciplinary penalties and isolated from other prisoners. This was done to create a formal opportunity for his transfer to prison conditions of imprisonment. Unlike detention in a colony, where prisoners can move around the territory, in prison conditions they are constantly held in a cell. Eduard Babaryka’s father, Viktar Babaryka, is held incommunicado. There has been no information about him for about a year.

On March 21 and 22, the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption conducted mass detention of people related to the leader of the “Malady Front” opposition youth movement and a soldier of the Kalinovski regiment, Dzianis Urbanovich. At least 18 people were detained. Among them were Dzianis’ brothers Maksim Urbanovich and Artsyom Urbanovich, his father Joseph Urbanovich, and his sister Marylia Urbanovich. It is known that there are four young women among the detainees. After his arrest, Maksim Urbanovich was severely beaten by KGB officers. He was sent to the KGB detention center.

The Belarusian authorities consider the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights “Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath” biased and call it an element of pressure. This was stated at the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council by Larysa Belskaya, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Office in Geneva. “The so-called group of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights experts, which spreads misinformation about the presidential elections in 2020 and the subsequent situation in its biased reports, is an instrument of pressure. Belarus does not recognize such mandates. The anonymous first-hand interviews referred to in the report are probably from activists who fled the country and failed to undermine the Belarusian state through an attempt at a color revolution, participation in illegal anti-government actions, and clashes with law enforcement officers in 2020,” Belskaya said. She commented that the leaders of the democratic forces do not represent the Belarusian people, and the interaction of the Western authorities with them distorts the principles of international law. Belskaya stated that there are no political prisoners in Belarus, called the actions of law enforcement agencies after the elections lawful, and the sentences of the trials of protesters fair. These actions, she stressed, cannot be interpreted as repression. “The real situation in Belarus is radically different from the false picture that the report paints. The country is developing successfully despite large-scale Western sanctions,” she noted. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report says that there are grounds to regard the persecution in Belarus after the elections as a crime against humanity. It mentions the closure of NGOs, changes in legislation, political prisoners, and their conditions of detention, including in the incommunicado regime, repression against the media, deprivation of lawyers’ licenses, expansion of “extremist” lists, searches, arbitrary arrests, torture, deaths during protests and in detention, and forced emigration.

Belarus remains among the priorities on the EU agenda. This was stated by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel, following a summit of EU foreign ministers held in Brussels on March 18. “We discussed the constantly worsening internal situation in Belarus. The violations of civil and political rights of the Belarusian people continue. There are more than 1,400 political prisoners. We ask for their release, and we will take further measures according to the proposal of the Member States to continue supporting the Belarusian opposition”, he commented.

Texts about repressions in Belarus appeared on large advertising screens in the Warsaw metro. “Did you leave a comment on Facebook? In Poland, your comment is a contribution to the discussion. You can go to prison for this in Belarus,” one of the screens says. “In Poland, your charitable donations are helping those who need them. In Belarus, this is a reason to open a criminal case,” reads the text next to the photo of political prisoner Andrei Savinski, who was sentenced to five years of imprisonment in Belarus for donating 50 USD. This way the Warsaw authorities expressed solidarity with the Belarusian people and reminded the residents of the city about the repressions in Belarus.

On March 19, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women called on Belarus to take urgent measures to protect Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk. This is the first instance of the application of urgent measures by the Committee in cases against Belarus. Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk was first convicted for allegedly insulting government officials and using violence against police officers, and later – twice for malicious disobedience to the requirements of the colony administration. She is presently serving her sentence and has been held in unbearable conditions all the time. Since January 8, 2024, there has been no contact with Polina: letters have not been received from her, and the lawyer is not allowed to see her. Andrei Sharenda’s complaint regarding the violation of his wife’s rights was registered by the Committee in January 2024. Since prolonged stay in unbearable conditions without medical care and communication with the outside world negatively affects the physical and psychological health of prisoners, a request for urgent measures was sent to the Committee. The Committee agreed with the arguments presented and asked Belarus to “urgently provide Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk with full and appropriate medical care and create conditions that would contribute to the preservation of her life, physical and psychological health.” A day after the Committee requested the measures to protect Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk, the Belarus 1 TV channel showed a video of her walking through the prison yard in a robe with a yellow tag and giving an interview.

The Karl and Franz University of Graz awarded its Human Rights Prize to the International Accountability Platform for Belarus for its work documenting human rights violations in Belarus. “The work of the International Accountability Platform for Belarus is a powerful reminder of what dedicated individuals and organizations can achieve in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. They can serve as inspiration for work, transcending disciplines, boundaries, and cultures to build a world in which human rights are respected, protected, and implemented for all,” said Rector Peter Riedler.

Belarusian propaganda covered in detail the reaction of the international community to the outcome of the presidential election in the Russian Federation. As a rule, the tone of statements was the same as that of their Russian colleagues, who scolded the “collective West» because it “failed to appreciate and understand” the importance of the moment and called the elections “rigged and undemocratic”. In a special edition of the project “Eto drugoe” [This is different], which was filmed in Donetsk, Belarus-1 propagandist Kseniya Lebiadzeva emphasized the participation of the population of the occupied territories of Ukraine in the elections: “This is the eighth time Russia has elected a president, and the first time Donbas and other new regions of the vast country have done it. Despite provocations and the West’s attempt to discredit the election campaign, people went to the polling stations, thus demonstrating Russia’s unity to all opponents”. She said that Zelensky (unlike Putin) is engaged in an “illegitimate imitation of presidential work” and instead of working for the welfare of people “sends them to their deaths en masse”. Lebedeva’s colleagues on the BT social media network targeted the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock for criticism, calling her “a descendant of a Nazi who is now continuing his work as German foreign minister”. The reason was that Baerbock called the Russian elections “fake”.

The state channel ONT devoted a significant part of the program “Propaganda” to justifying the transition from “democratic powerlessness” to “strong power” of Lukashenka and justifying the correctness of his actions and decisions. The author of the program Ihar Tur openly calls Lukashenka’s power authoritarian and considers it a plus: “Instead of saying ten times about democracy, I would prefer to say once as it is: we have an authoritarian power, but our people democratically once decided that they needed rational authoritarianism. And the people are satisfied with the result of the work of this authoritarianism, so they democratically prolong this authoritarianism time after time, voting again and again in elections for Aliaksandr Lukashenka”.

During the period under review, the state media repeatedly raised the topic of “lawlessness” that allegedly takes place in the United States, trying to prove that American realities and values significantly lose to Belarusian and Russian ones. ONT: “The attitude of the American authorities to TikTok has been tense for years. There are regular statements that the social network should be closed. However, now the approach has changed. Perhaps these changes are because “sleepy Joe” decided to advertise himself through TikTok in the run-up to the elections. Or it may be a banal manifestation of American megalomania, which European business has already encountered. It is obvious that there are numerous attempts to “squeeze out” TikTok from its owners!”

Belarus-1 made the main topic of the TV show “Ponyatnaya politika” [Understandable politics] incitement of wars, “provocations, murders, and productions of the West,” in which, in their opinion, the United States was often involved. Author Siarhei Husachenka: “If you dig into history, the Star-Spangled Banner immediately realizes how to quickly take what you like. Back in the middle of the nineteenth century, the Americans grabbed a huge piece of territory from Mexico. Later, American bayonets went to different continents. Dozens of times the U.S. authorities have organized military provocations in various corners of the world to justify their interventions, as well as to incite conflicts favorable to them without their direct participation”.

On March 19, the Ministry of Information of Belarus strongly condemned the blocking of the websites of TV channel ONT and the newspaper SB. Belarus Segodnya in Latvia. The Ministry sees it as “unacceptable actions directed to restricting freedom of speech and targeted restriction of the right to receive full and objective information for Latvian population”. At the same time, the Ministry of Information participates in blocking practically all independent Belarusian media and some international media outlets in Belarus. The list of “extremist resources” counts over 900 entries.

On March 19, several state media reported about the arrival of a group of children from Russia’s occupied territories of Ukraine. ONT presented the news in the following way: “Despite all the outrages and inventions of Western politicians, children continue to come to Belarus for vacation, this time from the Kherson region. These days schoolchildren of different ages – 39 people – are visiting the health center “Lesnaya Polyana” near Smarhon.”

On 19 March in the program “Budet dopolneno” [To be supplemented], propagandist Ihar Tur said that he applied to the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya for a passport of “New Belarus”; on the air of ONT, he demonstrated a document allegedly received in the name of Kolosau, Hennadz Boleslavovich (i.e. the fictitious character was deliberately given the initials “KGB”). “The epic with some “passports of the new Belarus” – a souvenir, which a priori can’t have legal force – has been dragging on for half a year. But the fact that this is a bright fundraiser for the existence of Tsikhanouskaya and her friends is not hidden. Except that filling out an online application for such a “passport” is promoting extremism, which is punishable by law. And their promises to keep their names and surnames in the strictest secrecy turned out to be dust again – the Belarusian intelligence got not only the entire database of those who wanted to get these papers, but even ordered one of these “passports” right in Vilnius.” It is noticeable that experts found several mistakes in the “red book” showed by Ihar Tur on TV, and the Representative of the United Transitional Cabinet Valery Kavaleuski said that the issuance of passports hasn’t even started: “We even do not have samples. The application process for a new passport has not even been opened”.

On March 21, Lukashenka met with the outgoing members of the House of Representatives of the VII convocation, awarded the deputies and members of the Council of the Republic, and voiced his demands to the new deputies: “The elected parliamentarians must be active, that their voice becomes credible. They should represent Belarus with dignity behind the parliamentary rostrum, in the media, outside the country, and give a tough response to our opponents and detractors”. He directly said that he counted on their support during the presidential campaign 2025, as “it is already obvious that we will continue to be tested in this difficult time.”

At the end of the week, the events connected with the terrorist act in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow were at the center of the attention of Belarusian propagandists and pro-governmental “experts”. They expressed condolences, drafted versions of events, and promised unconditional support to “brotherly Russia”. Like their Russian colleagues, Belarusian propaganda tried to find a “Ukrainian trace” in these tragic events and hinted at Western involvement in this. Aliaksandr Shpakouski, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Belarus in Russia: “Brutal murder of people committed on the day of the tragedy in Khatyn. We would like to remind that on the eve of March 8, Western embassies were threatening with terrorist attacks in Russia”. He also called to return capital punishment. Propagandist Andrey Mukavozchyk: “The obvious thing is this: regardless of whether the Banderite Ukraine was behind the terrorist attack in Crocus or even (they lie unconvincingly) the banned ISIS, it is ultimately the Anglo-Saxons. They, the United States and Great Britain, are behind this terrorist attack. Well, if only simply because without their money, there would be neither ISIS nor Ukraine. The Anglo-Saxons are playing the same game with the whole world as the Belarusian Incredibles (trained by them) are playing with us: “And you prove it!” Their airplanes flying along the borders and over the Black Sea before missile strikes are reconnaissance, data collection right up to escorting and targeting. This is participation in combat operations…” Vadzim Hihin, a pro-government historian, also wants to unite the two versions: “Now there is an active discussion around two versions of the organizers of the terrorist attack: a Ukrainian trace or ISIS. In any case, it is necessary to focus on the official investigation of the Russian authorities. And yet one version does not exclude the other. Let me remind you that in April 2023, The Washington Post published an interesting article. In it, regarding leaked classified material from the US Defense Department, it was claimed that the Kyiv regime was preparing attacks on the Russian military facilities in Syria. The Wagner group and some oil infrastructure linked to Russia were also named as targets. The organizer was the same, Ukraine’s military intelligence. And its local partners were allegedly Kurdish formations from the US-controlled Syrian Democratic Forces. All this happened back in 2022, but then, Zelensky allegedly “forbade the operation”. One way or another, we can consider it confirmed that the Military Intelligence of Ukraine is operating in the Middle East. It is supported by American intelligence services”. MP Aleh Haidukevich predicts the organization of terrorist attacks in Belarus: “Conclusions after the tragedy in Russia: 1. The same terrorist attacks are being prepared for Belarus. Especially for the presidential campaign in 2025. 2. We must support our army and special services together.  3. The best way to fight terror is the inevitability of punishment. Maidan, coup d’état, color revolution = terrorism”.