Yevgeny Spitsyn. Screenshot of the video
MINSK, 7 February (BelTA) – Belarusian people demonstrated exceptional wisdom, historian Yevgeny Spitsyn said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel.
Comparing the starting positions of Belarus and Ukraine after gaining independence, the historian noted that Ukraine was in a much better place. But the path of development it chose turned out to be wrong.
“Ukraine had a much more advantageous position. Firstly, access to the sea. Secondly, the territory was three times bigger. Good climate. An exceptionally efficient industrial system was built, including in heavy industry and light industry. The same about education and agriculture. In other words, in terms of its potential, Ukraine was among the five leading European countries along with the French, Germans, English and Italians. It could well compete with these countries for first place in Europe in terms of its industrial, scientific and human potential,” the historian noted.
According to him, the Ukrainian people were unable to preserve much of this. “What did they end up with after 30 years of independence? The collapse of their statehood and the death of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people. Yet, look at neighboring Belarus, which in terms of resources was very far behind Ukraine that had gas fields, coal, including coking coal, ores, and so on. It powered the development of one of the most crucial industries - ferrous metallurgy, steel, cast iron and foundry industry,” the expert said.
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