actually, i would expect that annexing belarus into russia would be very popular in belarus, as it was in crimea.

we don't really seem to care much about what the people in the region actually want, and never really did. but, belarus (unlike latvia or ukraine) is really just a lost province of russia, and would in truth be happy to rejoin it.

the thing is that the russians have historically seen the need for a buffer state. so, they'd really rather not do it for that reason. but, as eastern european state after eastern european state finds itself absorbed by an aggressive, expansionist nato, that kind of logic may find itself outdated.

if the germans are trying to orchestrate a pro-western putsch, at what point do the russians say "enough" and just move in?

and, when do the russians finally retaliate?