Responses to the COVID-19 crisis in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus

ABSTRACT

Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are good comparators sharing a common Soviet past, similar cultures and religions, while in the COVID-19 crisis they have pursued quite different policies. Belarus has denied the pandemic and undertaken no measures. Russia played down the epidemic for a long time and then undertook half-hearted and incoherent measures. Ukraine feared the virus and carried out an early and strict quarantine in a centralized policy. While testing has been sparse until recently and death tolls remain uncertain, Belarus and Russia appear to have done poorly in terms of health, while Ukraine has so far done much better. It is too early to judge the economic outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• pandemic
• Russia
• Ukraine
• Belarus
• crisis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, are not discussed here as they are beyond the control of the Ukrainian government. Moreover, little.