Would anything remain of Belarus and Belarusians if we received several strikes of 500 kilotons each? Today so-called “ordinary” Belarusians say: “At least we don’t have a war.” How they may later come to envy Ukrainians—because ordinary missiles fall on them, not nuclear ones, from which one can still hide.
We can stop this insane and deadly plan for us only by ourselves—regardless of views or ways of earning a living. And it is real. Because everyone has children, and the most terrible fate—which I would not wish on anyone—is to watch a small human being suffer from radiation sickness with no possibility to save their life. After some time, the radiation induced by thermonuclear explosions will subside. And in conditions of global warming, whole regions of the planet are becoming unfit for life. Therefore, our land will not remain empty for long. Other peoples will settle it. And its new inhabitants will look with surprise and pity at the last dying aborigines and wonder how they managed to lose such a blessed land.
I have no hopes for this state, because I remember how once I read in an official newspaper an answer to a Western journalist’s question about how it happened that Russia attacked Ukraine from Belarusian territory. The answer struck me by its frankness: “We had exercises. Russian troops entered along one route, and could leave along different ones. Why the Russian generals decided to withdraw them that way (through Ukraine), I don’t know. They didn’t tell me.” That “They didn’t tell me” is not about dictatorship or democracy. It is not about a state at all. We will have to do everything ourselves. The necessary resources for this exist.

IN CONCLUSION

I won’t hide it: I felt awkward offering you this text. Especially to those who rejoiced at my release, who congratulated Marina and me and offered their help. That was very important for us. Thank you, people!
And now I am painting such horrific prospects for you. This text itself was very hard for me; it took a lot of moral, emotional, and even physical strength, the reserves of which I do not have in great quantity right now. But if there is even just one chance in ten that this horrific scenario is real for us—that is already enormously significant. But in my view—and I have thought a great deal about this—the chances are much higher. Therefore, I consider it my duty to warn you about it. I believe that each person has their purpose in life, from which one must not shy away. Perhaps I was left alive and now free only in order to warn you. For, as they used to say, forewarned is forearmed. You have been warned. Let us think and act together to save Belarus, our loved ones, and the world.
We will succeed. Belarus will live!

26 February 2026

Mikalai Statkevich