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Responses to the COVID-19 crisis in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus
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2020
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VaccinationCovid-19 CrisisEpidemic IntelligenceUkrainian EconomyEconomic OutcomesVirus EpidemiologyInternational RelationsGlobal HealthGlobal Health CrisisCovid-19 PandemicCentralized PolicyPublic HealthCrisis ManagementMedicineGood ComparatorsEpidemiologySocial DistancingCovid-19
Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus share a Soviet legacy and similar cultures, yet adopted markedly different COVID‑19 responses. Belarus denied the pandemic and took no action, Russia downplayed it and implemented weak, inconsistent measures, while Ukraine imposed early strict quarantine and has performed better health‑wise, though economic impacts remain uncertain.
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.