Belarusian who fought for Ukraine extradited from Vietnam to Belarus
Vasil Verameichyk now faces the prospect of imprisonment, as the Kalinouski Regiment was recently declared a terrorist organization by the Supreme Court of Belarus.
Belarus
Belarus Weekly: Ukrainian, Russian ombudsmen meet in Minsk to discuss POWs exchange
Two of Alexander Lukashenko’s “challengers” in upcoming 2025 presidential elections drop out before race even starts, pledge support for Belarusian dictator. Lukashenko pardons 31 political prisoners as pre-election police raids intensify. Lukashenko allows the family to visit Maria Kalesnikava in jail, ending over 600 days of holding the prominent
Belarus Weekly: Dictator Lukashenko allows six token candidates to 'challenge' him at the ballot
Belarus concludes registration for the 2025 presidential election, allowing six token candidates to “challenge” dictator Alexander Lukashenko at the ballot. Ahead of the upcoming election, Belarusian law enforcers conduct sweeping raids, human rights group Viasna reports. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto argues against sanctions, engages with Belarus, Russia at Eurasian
Ukrainian, Russian ombudsmen meet in Belarus to address humanitarian issues amid war
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets met with his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, in Belarus on Nov. 8 to discuss humanitarian issues related to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
Zelensky's office deputy head traveled to Russia at least 9 times after 2014, media investigation shows
Oleh Tatarov, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, has traveled to Moscow at least nine times since Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014, RFE/RL's investigation project Schemes reported on Nov. 7, citing obtained flight data.
5 Ukraine stories you might've missed because of US election
As the world waited with bated breath for the result of the U.S. elections, Russia's war against Ukraine did not relent. Donald Trump's sweeping victory no doubt spells an uncertain future for the besieged country. But Russia's grinding advances in Donbas, drone attacks, and yet more allegations of war
Updated: Belarus cracks down ahead of January election, over 100 people detained
Belarusian authorities have initiated a wave of arrests ahead of January’s election, Viasna human rights center reported on Nov. 6.
Belarus Weekly: Minsk rushes with presidential election, seeking to hand Lukashenko a victory ahead of term's end
Belarus rushes forward with a presidential election, seeking to hand Alexander Lukashenko a victory six months ahead of the official term's end. In an interview, Lukashenko says North Korean troops fighting against Ukraine would be an “escalation.” Belarus and Russia to hold major joint military drills in September 2025. Belarus
Hungarian FM to attend and speak at Eurasian security conference in Belarus this week
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is set to speak at the Minsk Conference on Eurasian Security in Belarus on October 31.
Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko to reelect himself in January as regime prepares for elections
Belarus schedules next presidential election for January 2025. Belarus reportedly shoots down the second Russian drone amid ongoing incursions into its airspace. The EU supports Poland’s migration plan, including suspended right to asylum amid the continued artificial migration crisis at the Belarus border. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly
Lukashenko dismisses North Korean troop reports, says it would 'escalate' Russia's war in Ukraine
"Knowing his character Putin would never try to persuade another country to involve its army in... Ukraine,," Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with BBC.
Belarus schedules next presidential election for January 2025
Belarus has scheduled its next presidential election for January 26, 2025, the country’s Central Electoral Commission announced on Oct. 23. Incumbent Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is widely expected to hold on to power following the election's result.
Belarus downs Russian drone over its airspace, monitoring group says
The Belarusian Air Force downed a Russian Shahed-type drone over Belarus' Homel Oblast overnight on Oct. 20, the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported. The incident marks just the third time a Belarusian aircraft has downed a drone that entered its airspace.
Romania, Belarus scramble jets amid mass Russian drone attack on Ukraine
Ukraine's Air Force said that beyond the 80 drones that were shot down across the country, another 44 were "lost."
Lukashenko claims Russian nuclear realignment was long overdue
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, in a comment to a Russian reporter, said that recent changes to Russia's nuclear weapons policy were long overdue and would likely "cool the ardor" of Western nations.
Russian MiG-31 fighter jets likely left Belarus, monitoring group says
The two MiG-31K jets landed in Belarus on Oct. 9 and 10, a year and a half after their last appearance in Belarus.
Russia may have moved MiG-31 jets to Belarus to evade Ukrainian strikes
Editor's Note: This story was updated on Oct. 13 after the monitoring group Hajun reported that the two MiG-31 jets had likely returned to Russia. Two Russian MiG-31K jets were transferred to Belarus this week, potentially signaling Russia’s efforts to protect its warplanes amid increasing Ukrainian strikes on Russian
Belarus Weekly: Russian drones cross into Belarus as Lukashenko was flying
One of three Russian drones that crossed into Belarus as Alexander Lukashenko was flying from his residence crashed in a populated area, witnesses of the crash arrested. Poland expresses support for Lithuania's ICC Referral over Lukashenko's alleged crimes. Seven defendants sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison for damaging
Second Russian Kinzhal missile carrier arrives in Belarus in 2 days, monitoring group says
A second Russian Mig-31K jet, capable of carrying Kinzhal missiles, landed in Belarus' Machulishchy airport, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported on Oct. 10.
Russia reportedly redeploys Kinzhal missiles carrier to Belarus for first time in over a year
The MiG-31K landing is the first in a year and a half. In April 2023, three Russian MiG-31Ks left the country and have not been spotted there since then, the Belaruski Hajun monitoring group reported.
We can't solve war in Ukraine without solving Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya says in exclusive interview
Editor's note: The interview has been edited for clarity. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Despite receiving popular support during the 2020 elections, the Belarusian opposition leader was kicked out of her country, her supporters were jailed en masse, while the country she wanted to
Belarus sentences 12 to prison over sabotage of Russian A-50 military plane
The Minsk City Court sentenced 12 people to prison over sabotage of the Machulishchy military airfield in Belarus last year, the Viasna human rights group said on Oct. 4. Some of the sentences were handed down in absentia.
Three Shahed drones cross into Belarus while Lukashenko midair in helicopter
Three Shahed drones flew into Belarusian airspace on Oct. 3 as Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko was traveling by helicopter over the country, according to the monitoring group Belaruski Hajun.
Lithuania urges ICC probe into crimes of Lukashenko regime
Lithuania has formally requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate crimes against humanity committed by the regime of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Belarusian military starts checking combat capability of Air Force, Air Defense
The combat training tasks will involve all training areas of the Belarusian Armed Forces. During the inspection, military conscripts from the country's reserves will be called up, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said.
Opinion: Is Russia’s new nuclear doctrine a game of bluff or a shift in strategy?
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a seemingly significant modification of Russia’s military doctrine in a statement on Sept. 25. He revealed that the new doctrine would propose considering aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state, “with the participation or support of a nuclear state,” as a “joint attack” on
'Attack on Belarus is World War III,' Lukashenko claims amid calls for changes to Russian nuclear doctrine
An attack on Belarus would lead to World War III, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Sept. 27, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's call to update Russia's nuclear doctrine, according to the Belarusian state-owned news agency Belta. Putin proposed a series of changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine on Sept. 25
Ukrainian Air Force retracts report of Belarusian aircraft violating airspace
The Ukrainian Air Force retracted an earlier statement that an aerial target violated Ukrainian airspace from Belarus on the afternoon of Sept. 24.
Russia's global chess ban upheld, move hailed as 'a victory for Ukraine'
Both Russia and Belarus were excluded from the International Chess Federation in the wake of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Raiffeisen Bank agrees to sell Belarusian subsidiary
Austria-headquartered Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) agreed to sell its stake in its Belarusian subsidiary Priorbank, marking the first step toward fully withdrawing from the Belarusian market, RBI announced on Sept. 20.
Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko frees 37 political prisoners; charges pressed against Belarus fighter
In the fourth round of pardons since July, Lukashenko frees another 37 political prisoners, with around 1,300 remaining behind bars. Prosecutors in the Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast pressed charges against a Belarusian Kalinouski Regiment fighter held in captivity for two years. Latvian parliament passes a bill banning Belarus-registered vehicles from
As FIDE considers lifting sanctions, Ukrainian chess community calls for continued ban on Russian and Belarusian players
A group of 13 Ukrainian chess players has sent a letter to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), urging the continued ban on Russian and Belarusian players from competitions due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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