Vladzimir Astapenka

Vladzimir Astapenka
Уладзімір Астапенка
Deputy Representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 2022
PresidentSviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
Personal details
Born (1962-11-13) 13 November 1962 (age 62)
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
EducationBelarusian State University

Vladzimir Arkadyevich Astapenka (Belarusian: Уладзімір Аркадзьевіч Астапенка, romanized: Uladzimir Arkadzevich Astapenka) is a Belarusian diplomat who was ambassador to Cuba,[1] Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Peru in the 2010s.[2] Astapenka resigned in September 2020 in alignment with the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests that followed the 2020 Belarusian presidential election[2] He was nominated to several positions in the Belarusian opposition, including Deputy Representative for Foreign Affairs of the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet.[3] and head of the Mission for Democratic Belarus in Brussels in October 2022.[4][3]

Birth and education

Vladzimir Astapenka was born on (1962-11-13)13 November 1962.[5] He studied Moscow State Institute of International Relations from 1980 to 1985.[5] In 2000, he obtained his Candidate of Sciences degree (equivalent to a PhD) in international law for his thesis on "Evolution of the European Union in the light of the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty of 1999".[6][3]

University administration

In 2002 and 2003, as Vice-President for International Relations of Belarusian State University (BSU), Astapenka promoted Belarusian interests in relation to European transport links and the 2004 enlargement of the European Union.[7][8][3] He has also held the positions of Vice Rector and Head of the Chair of International Private and European Law at BSU.[3]

Diplomat

Prior to 1991, Astapenka started work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Third Secretary of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.[2]

After Belarus became the Republic of Belarus in 1991, Astapenka became Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.[3] He spent time as a diplomat in Belgium and The Netherlands.[3] During the 2010s, Astapenka was Belarusian ambassador to Cuba.[1][9] In 2019, he was Belarusian ambassador to Argentina and Chile.[10] In 2020, he was simultaneously Belarusian ambassador to Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Peru.[2]

2020–2021 Belarusian protests

Astapenka submitted his resignation from his ambassadorial positions on 23 September 2020, the day of Alexander Lukashenko's formal inauguration as re-elected president, during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests that followed the 2020 Belarusian presidential election. Astapenka described the date when he submitted his resignation was symbolic, and stated, "I believe in a better future for the Belarusian people!"[2]

In May 2021, when chairing a panel discussion organised by members of the European Parliament, Astapenka described Lukashenko as governing with a "dictatorial style" with an "illegitimate regime ... waging a war against the people of Belarus[,] throwing hundreds of peaceful protesters to jails and terrorizing the population."[11]

Belarusian opposition

Astapenka was appointed deputy head of National Anti-Crisis Management, an opposition group aiming to coordinate a Belarusian transition to democracy.[12][3] In September 2022, Astapenka was appointed Deputy Representative for Foreign Affairs of the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet.[3]

In October 2022, he was appointed as head of the Mission for Democratic Belarus in Brussels.[4][3] Aims of the Mission include hosting Belarusian non-governmental organizations and representatives of the Belarusian diaspora and taking on the role of "Free Belarus". As of October 2022, the Mission aimed to obtain diplomatic status with Belgian authorities.[13] Astapenka was a speaker at the October 2022 1st European Political Community Summit held in Prague.[3]

When asked about Belarusian involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine in December 2022, Astapenka stated that direct Belarusian military involvement in attacking Ukraine would be resisted by Belarusian soldiers and citizens, and risked destabilising Lukashenko's hold on power. Astapenka predicted that if Russia lost its war in Ukraine, then Lukashenko's power would be greatly weakened.[14]

On 21 December 2022, special proceedings (a trial in absentia) began against Astapenka at a court in Minsk, with charges under Chapter 1, Article 14 and Chapter 3, Article 210 of the Criminal Code of Belarus. In early 2023, he was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison (the sentence was immediately reduced by one year under an amnesty due to the National Unity Day) and a fine of 18,500 Belarusian rubles.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b Vera Mellado, Ernesto (2010-06-29). "Subrayan lazos históricos entre Belarús y Cuba" [Highlights of the historical ties between Belarus and Cuba]. Granma (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ex-Ambassador to Argentina: I Believe in a Better Future for the Belarusian People". Charter 97. 2020-09-29. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Vladimir Astapenko". 1st European Political Community Summit. 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-12-27. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  4. ^ a b Sheftalovich, Zoya (2022-10-14). "Putin doesn't trust Lukashenko's army to fight in Ukraine, Belarus' leader-in-exile says". Politico. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  5. ^ a b "Владимир Аркадьевич АСТАПЕНКО – Чрезвычайный и Полномочный Посол" [Vladzimir Arkadievich Astapenka – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Belarus). 2019-10-03. Archived from the original on 2019-12-27. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  6. ^ Astapenka, Vladzimir (2000). "Эволюция Европейского Союза в свете положений Амстердамского договора 1999 года" [Evolution of the European Union in the light of the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty of 1999]. disserCat.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  7. ^ Astapenka, Vladzimir (2003). Planning for transport infrastructures in the agreements between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus: their relationships with the European countries (PDF). Politiche europee delle infrastrutture dei trasporti e sviluppo del Mezzogiorno, 26–30 agosto 2002, Santa Tecla Palace, Acireale. University of Messina. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  8. ^ Astapenka, Vladzimir (2004). Allargamento dell'Unione Europea e grandi opere infrastrutturali in Bielorussia [Expansion of the European Union and major infrastructure projects in Belarus] (PDF). Le grandi opere infrastrutturali, il territorio e lo sviluppo sostenibile: il Ponte sullo Stretto di Messina, 25–29 agosto 2003, Santa Tecla Palace, Acireale (in Italian). University of Messina. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  9. ^ Arcos, Ramadán (2014-11-10). "Celebrato il 97o anniversario della Grande Rivoluzione Socialista d'Ottobre" [Celebrating the 97th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution]. Granma (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  10. ^ "Ambassador of Belarus V. Astapenka presents Credentials to the President of Chile". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Belarus). 2019-10-03. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  11. ^ "EU standing with the people of Belarus on the Sakharov Centenary". European Parliament. 2021-05-21. Archived from the original on 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  12. ^ "Protection of democratic values". Belarus Abroad. 2022-05-21. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  13. ^ "Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to launch the Mission for Democratic Belarus in Brussels". Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. 2022-10-13. Archived from the original on 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  14. ^ "Łukaszenka wyśle wojska na Ukrainę? Białoruski opozycjonista: To byłoby dla niego samobójstwo. Zadecyduje jednak Kreml" [Lukashenko sending his troops to Ukraine? Belarusian dissident: it would be suicidal. But the Kremlin will decide]. wPolityce [pl] (in Polish). 2022-12-17. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  15. ^ "Былога амбасадара Уладзіміра Астапенку завочна асудзілі і на год вызвалілі ад пакарання" [Former ambassador Uladzimir Astapenka was convicted in absentia with the punishment reduced by a year]. Novy Chas (in Belarusian). February 19, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.