Support The Moscow Times!

Belarus Strongman Chops Wood for Europeans 'Freezing to Death'

Belarusian state television

The strongman leader of Belarus and staunch Kremlin ally Alexander Lukashenko appeared on state television Wednesday chopping wood and reassuring viewers he wouldn't let Europe "freeze to death" this winter.

The tongue-in-cheek broadcast comes as European leaders are struggling to source alternative energy sources with supplies from Russia curtailed after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The jovial-sounding authoritarian appears in the video wearing a tracksuit and body-warmer, bearing down a large axe on blocks from a large pile of previously chopped wood.

"We won't let Europe freeze to death," Lukashenko jokes in the video. "We will help them and maybe, one day, they will help us too."

Belarus has been hit with a wave of sanctions by the West both for its support for Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine and also for a ferocious post-election crackdown in 2020.

"Europe can't be picky these days (...) what matters is that they stay warm," the moustachioed leader — often dubbed "Europe's last dictator" — says in the video.

Lukashenko is an eccentric leader who routinely makes unusual media appearances: harvesting crops with young women or playing hockey, for example.

During historic protests against his rule in 2020, he was shown circling protesters in a helicopter, brandishing an AK-47 and referring to the demonstrators as "rats."

Belarus, which borders Ukraine and Russia, has supported Moscow in its military operation, lending its territory to Moscow as a base for some of its troops.

Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies, has started painfully unhitching its decades-long dependency on Moscow's fossil fuels. 

Energy prices have soared across Europe and European governments have been urging their citizens and companies to lower their energy consumption.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more