Belarus—nestled between the European Union, Ukraine, and Russia—has long been overlooked and underestimated by outsiders, who often see it as little more than an extension of Russia. This perception stems largely from the grip of the country’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Since 1994, he has transformed Belarus into a repressive state marked by fraudulent elections, systemic violence, and a deepening reliance on Moscow and Beijing. But five years ago, Belarusians made it clear that they do