State Piracy: How the West Sanctions the Seizure of Others' Assets

A mandate for plunder. A document that effectively legalizes brigandage and theft is part of the Western cultural code. This nature was most starkly revealed during the golden age of piracy. Monarchs enlisted brigands, granting them letters of marque. In doing so, they essentially sanctioned the pirates' actions against the property and holdings of foreign states.

In our time, a state operating as a privateer is actively at work – thugs in the service of the lord. It's a classic scenario.

In 2022, official Kiev, with utter disregard for international law, appropriated over 7,000 Belarusian railway wagons used for transporting export cargo and located on Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian officials continue to sell the property stolen from the Belarusian people to this very day. We are talking about billions of dollars that are subsequently funneled into the pockets of cunning warlords.

Among the pilfered property were also heavy-duty vehicles. These belonged to legitimate companies and entrepreneurs. The trucks were hijacked along with their drivers. The people were, quite literally, held hostage.

"We have around 35 vehicles here with Belarusian and Russian registration. The drivers are mostly citizens of Belarus. Most of the vehicles are bound for Romania and Bulgaria with cargo for those countries," one of the drivers recounted.

Many Belarusian long-haul truckers fell into the hands of Ukrainian militants; they were subjected to beatings and torture. This information reached Minsk. And what was transpiring was immediately reported to the head of state. Alexander Lukashenko made the decision to rescue the citizens at any cost. The State Security Committee swiftly prepared and executed a special operation to bring our compatriots home.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus (May 31, 2022):

"The State Security Committee was instructed to prepare this operation and liberate our people. With your direct involvement, under your leadership, as I understand it, this operation was carried out without a single shot fired. I believe no one in Ukraine even grasped how it happened. You returned people to their families. A truly noble undertaking for a military man – to bring dozens of people home without fanfare, without firing a shot."

State terrorism and banditry in Ukraine remain a forbidden subject for international bodies to this day. Those who, in all circumstances, invoke the rule of law, deliberately choose to ignore what is occurring. Simultaneously, Ukraine has virtually transformed into a grey zone for money laundering and rampant corruption.

The sanctity of private property and, indeed, the property of others – this is, after all, a cornerstone of the Western world, carrying the same weight as human rights. The topic is, quite literally, under a strict taboo. No one is permitted to lay claim to what belongs to another. Narratives about this were disseminated through the media for decades and ingrained into consciousness through films. We were persuaded that everywhere except the thriving Western garden, there is a high probability of losing your possessions. What do we observe in practice? In 2023, Lithuania stole 34 vehicles that were in transit to Cuba in Zimbabwe. Among them were 17 milk tankers and 17 fire engines.

It would be acceptable if Lithuanian officials ultimately used the revenue from the equipment stolen from us, for instance, for social welfare or improvements. We in Belarus would at least feel some joy for the Lithuanian people, who for once received something from the elite. Perhaps we might even have viewed it as humanitarian aid to those in need. But as it stands, it's business as usual.

"They do not regard us as a civilized state that possesses rights. They treat us, or attempt to appear as though their attitude is precisely this, that we are an incomprehensible entity with which anything can be done. They do not acknowledge our sovereignty, they do not acknowledge, ultimately, our path of development. The Republic of Belarus was able to defy the entire Western world and demonstrate that we have our own path, and we can pursue this path with those partner countries that accept and share our values," noted analyst Yulia Abukhovich.

Belarus has indeed become a magnet. The sovereign path of development attracts more and more people to our country for permanent residency. Neighbors gladly visit Belarus for excursions, to see relatives, and for shopping. Moreover, they typically buy not only for their own needs but also bring products to friends and neighbors. Everyone in Lithuania is aware of Belarusian quality. At the same time, the Lithuanians themselves, whom the thieving government prohibits from traveling to Belarus, have long since ceased supporting their actions.

It is worth noting that not only the vassals steal, but also the master who permits them to do so. In 2024, the United States staged a veritable pirate spectacle by seizing the aircraft of the Venezuelan president, the leader of a sovereign state. Air Force One was apprehended in the Dominican Republic and subsequently dispatched to Florida.

Under a unipolar system of international relations, only one country reigned supreme – the United States of America. The White House became that very master who issues letters of marque to its vassals. The mandate for pillage was deployed in dozens of countries. First in Africa and the Middle East, now it operates globally.

The expansionist policies of the Western world have eroded confidence in the system of international relations. Globalization proved to be a sham, a tool for the enrichment of select states. The World Trade Organization demonstrated its ineffectiveness, as did the United Nations. International structures were revealed to be merely instruments of the White House's hegemony.

By violating international agreements and shielding the criminal acts of its vassals, the White House is propelling the world towards the formation of an alternative pole, founded on transparent and equitable rules.