Opinions & Interviews

Belarus’ representative pushes back against false accusations of deportation of Ukrainian kids

An archive photo

MINSK, 11 October (BelTA) – Accusations claiming that Belarus deports Ukrainian children instead of helping them are false. Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva Larisa Belskaya made the statement at a session of the Executive Committee of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Larisa Belskaya said: “Since the beginning of 2022 Belarus has been receiving Ukrainians, who flee from the conflict. Depending on their preferences they are granted refugee status or temporary protection. Humanitarian aid, financial aid, and other kinds of aid are offered. The central government, municipal authorities, the Belarusian Red Cross, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF, and other agencies take part in this work. Thanks to the president’s special decision Ukrainian refugees enjoy virtually the same rights as Belarusian citizens as far as access to medical services and social services are concerned. Children can go to Belarusian schools.”

A total of about 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Belarus. Some stayed in Belarus. Some went back to the home country or went to other countries, Larisa Belskaya noted. Those are families with kids, elderly people. Most of them came to Belarus from countries of the European Union.

Larisa Belskaya said: “If these people felt aggression towards them from Belarusians, would they come willingly to Belarus. The answer is obvious: no. Following appeals of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, I was not going to bring up politicized aspects in my speech. However, I am forced to push back against false accusations that other countries have made in this hall. They claim Belarus instrumentalizes migrants. They treat the aid Belarus offers to Ukrainian kids, who flee horrors of the war, as some kind of deportation. In view of such false accusations we have invited the UN secretary general or his representatives to visit Belarus in order to evaluate the situation on the spot. We are open to constructive cooperation on these matters, including with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”

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