I think there are plausible counterarguments, but the results in, for example, Sweden look much like France, and the results in Belarus look much like other eas

I think there are plausible counterarguments, but the results in, for example, Sweden look much like France, and the results in Belarus look much like other eastern European nations (which is to say, better than western European ones). Not that either Sweden or Belarus did nothing, but it does suggest that the measures taken by most countries, did not have an enormous impact, if any. Japan did less than most countries in Europe, but their total cases and deaths per capita are <10% of any nation in Europe (which is not to say they are zero or even negligible). Again, regardless of what you believe, on balance, of the article's implications, the phrase "utter nonsense" suggests that it is not worth thinking about, and it clearly is worth thinking about and researching, at least.