Team
Maria Yeryoma
contributing authorMaria Yeryoma is a Belarusian media manager and a contributing author at the Kyiv Independent. She recently led the commercial "special projects" at TUT.BY — the biggest independent online media in the country. In May 2021, TUT.BY was raided by Belarus authorities, leaving 15 employees in custody and forcing others to leave the country to continue their work. Maria moved to Kyiv and helped establish a new media outlet, Zerkalo. Maria is the author of Belarus Weekly, the largest English-language newsletter about her native country.
Articles
'I'd talk to the Devil himself' — Belarus' opposition torn on whether to reengage with dictator Lukashenko to save political prisoners
Last week, the Belarusian democratic opposition was torn apart by a particular question — should the West isolate and pressure Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko with tougher sanctions, or offer diplomatic engagement and, possibly, sanctions relief in exchange for the release of over 1,100 political prisoners?
The arguments reignited after U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg met with Lukashenko in Minsk and secured the release of 14 prisoners, including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a key opposition
Diplomacy or deal-making? Unpacking the U.S.-Belarus prisoner deal
After a high-level U.S. visit to Belarus led to the release of 14 prisoners, observers have been left wondering what autocrat Alexander Lukashenko may have secured in return.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg’s visit to Minsk on June 21 marked the highest-level diplomatic contact the isolated regime of Alexander Lukashenko had with the U.S. in years.
The trip was also marked by the freeing by the Lukashenko regime of 14 prisoners, including one of
Trump could free all Belarus's political prisoners 'with a single word,' released oppositionist Tsikhanouski says
"President Trump now has the power and opportunity to free all political prisoners in Belarus with a single word. And I ask him to do so, to say that word," Siarhei Tsikhanouski said in his first press conference after his release.
Belarus Weekly: Russian, Belarusian security services plan violent attacks on Belarusian diaspora
Polish security agency to investigate disappearance of Belarus’s opposition activist amid fears of foreign involvement.
Russian, Belarusian security services plan violent attacks on Belarusian diaspora, Lithuanian Security Department says.
Russian FSB detains Belarus citizen allegedly preparing to carry out "terrorist act" on behalf of Ukraine's SBU.
Lithuania to fortify second Suwalki Gap route, viewed as one of the most likely targets for a future Russian attack on NATO, Politico reports.
Belarus Weekly: Poland reports attacks on border guards, one allegedly involving a Belarusian serviceman
Poland reports two attacks on border guards, one allegedly involving a Belarusian serviceman.
Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko invites up to 150,000 workers from Pakistan to Belarus amid deepening labor shortage.
Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin threatens Poland, Baltic states during a visit to Belarus.
Meanwhile, Russia has added 1,200 Belarusians to its wanted list since July, while Belarus brands jailed EU mission staffer as "terrorist."
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Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko signs security treaty, pulling Belarus further into Russia’s orbit
Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko visits Moscow, enacting a security treaty and signing a range of agreements that pull Belarus further into Russia’s orbit.
U.S. President Donald Trump slashes RFE/RL funding in another blow to Belarusian media in exile.
Latvia restricts movement at last open border crossing with Belarus amid migration
concerns.
Japanese citizen sentenced to seven years in Belarus on trumped up charges of spying.
Poland and the Baltic states seek to withdraw from the anti
Belarus Weekly: Belarus drops out of top 20 global arms exporters list
Russia proposed building a drone factory in Belarus with an annual capacity of 100,000 units.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko appoints new government ahead of his seventh “inauguration.”
Belarus cracks down on the unemployed amid workforce shortages.
UN experts urge Belarus to end the incommunicado detention of political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski, after two years of him being hidden from the public eye.
Belarus drops out of the top 20 global arms exporters, SIPRI report finds.
Belarus Weekly: Belarus, Russia ratify security pact, expanding nuclear umbrella, military integration
Belarus and Russia ratified the Union State Security Pact, expanding the nuclear umbrella and military integration.
Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko invites U.S President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to Minsk for peace talks.
Belarus criminalizes sharing information on military movements and expands in absentia prosecution of exiled opponents.
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Belarus Weekly: Russia, Belarus confirm Zapad-2025 joint military drills in September
After 3 years of full-scale war, EU imposes sanctions on Belarus' Integral micro-electronics producer for supplying Russia with microchips for its missiles.
Russia, Belarus confirm they will hold Zapad-2025 joint military drills in September.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko extends the power of local authorities allowing them to approve heads of private companies.
Belarusian journalist Ihar Ilyash goes on trial for ‘extremist’ interviews. PEN International calls for the release of Be
Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko gets himself reelected for 7th consecutive term
Aleksandr Lukashenko has awarded himself a seventh term as president of Belarus, with the West calling the so-called vote a sham and introducing additional sanctions.
Belarusian political observer Artsiom Shraibman told the Kyiv Independent that Lukashenko faces uncertain future after the vote.
Hungary refuses to sign joint EU statement condemning Belarus’s elections, RFE/RL reports.
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Fifteen more prisoners freed in tenth rou
Belarus Weekly: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills
OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus.
Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia.
Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison.
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Irregular crossings into EU from eastern borders more than triple in 2024, Frontex reports.
Belarusian state TV airs a propaganda film with jailed journalists, attempting to discredit thei
Belarus Weekly: Belarus rejects Zelensky’s claim that Lukashenko apologized for role in Russia’s war
Belarus rejects President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko apologized for Belarus’s role in Russia’s war, blames external forces for dragging Belarus into conflict.
Belarus shows opposition leader Viktar Babaryka for the first time after nearly two years of incommunicado detention.
Poland to complete border wall with Belarus by mid-2025 in response to the artificial migration crisis.
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Belarus Weekly — 2024 in review: Drone incursions, deepening alliance with Russia, totalitarianism
In 2024, Belarus, under dictator Alexander Lukashenko, continued to descend into totalitarianism, imprisoning people at will and providing full-fledged support to Russia in its brutal all-out war.
Lukashenko signed a number of bilateral treaties with Russia's Vladimir Putin, helping him facilitate the major East-West prisoner swap that saw spies and murderers return safely to Russia. Lukashenko also reignited a major migrant crisis at the country's western borders, effectively making it harder
Belarus Weekly: EU imposes new sanctions on Belarusian officials, companies supporting regime
The EU imposes new sanctions on Belarusian officials and companies supporting the regime of Alexander Lukashenko.
In response to Belarus and Russia’s artificial migration crisis, the EU pledged 170 million euros for border security and backed Poland’s plan to suspend the right to asylum.
Belarus labels exiled National Theater actors as an “extremist formation,” criminalizing interactions with them for Belarusians inside the country.
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Belarus Weekly: Putin, Lukashenko sign security treaty, promise Oreshnik deployment in Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko sign a security pact, announcing the potential deployment of Russian Oreshnik missiles in Belarus.
Lukashenko frees 29 more political prisoners amid an ongoing pre-election civil society clampdown.
Exiled Belarusian activists to face a record 17 in absentia charges for aiding opponents of Lukashenko's regime.
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The chief editor of the dissolve
Editors' Picks
'We spot them, we destroy them' — Ukraine fights for Kostiantynivka as Russia closes in on three sides
With all eyes on Kyiv, its surrounding villages are unspoken victims of Russian attacks
Invisible prisoners — the struggle to free thousands of Ukrainians in Russian captivity
