Yuri Zenkovich, the organizer of the plot against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2021, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison, gave an interview on the state-run ONT TV channel. On air, he was introduced as a "political scientist and expert", where he discussed the methods of US information policy and their impact on the post-Soviet space.

Zenkovich, who had already given an interview to the Belarus 1 TV channel from prison in September, admitted his guilt and apologized to Lukashenko. At that time, he was presented as “convicted of organizing a conspiracy to seize state power.” The new interview, shown on January 19, had a different context. Zenkovich, signed as an expert, discussed the role of Radio Liberty (included in the list of foreign agent media) and other media in promoting American soft power policy.

According to Zenkovich, the US uses information channels such as Radio Liberty to influence public opinion in the post-Soviet countries. He described these resources as tools capable of provoking protests, color revolutions, and even a change of power. Zenkovich claims that the main goal of such actions in Belarus is to remove Alexander Lukashenko and replace him with a more loyal leader who will follow US interests.

He also noted that similar methods are used in other countries in the region, including Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Ultimately, according to Zenkovich, Washington seeks to establish more manageable regimes and take control of the economies and resources of these countries.

Despite the content of the interview, independent experts and human rights activists have expressed doubts about the sincerity of Zenkovich’s statements. Many have drawn parallels with the case of Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian journalist detained in 2021 after a Ryanair flight was forcibly landed in Minsk. His public statements have also raised suspicions that they were made under duress.

According to the Belarusian authorities, the group's goal was to physically eliminate the president and seize power. In 2022, Zenkovich, who holds dual US and Belarusian citizenship, was convicted along with other defendants in the case. He was detained in Moscow during a special operation by the Russian FSB and handed over to Belarusian security forces.