Tensions mount between Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania amid the growing presence of Wagner mercenaries and the Belarusian military’s exercises near their shared borders. Warsaw and Vilnius accuse Minsk of engineering a renewed migrant influx by forcefully funneling asylum seekers to the border. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join
Tensions rise after Belarusian helicopters cross into Polish territory, the country's state border service said on Aug. 1. Poland also alleges that around 100 Wagner mercenaries are transferred closer to the Suwalki Corridor, bringing tensions to a new high. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Belarusians gather over
The head of the Belarusian Red Cross admits the branch helps Russia abduct children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. He says the organization has, is, and will continue to be actively involved. Thousands of Wagner Group mercenaries arrive in Belarus. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Lukashenko says
Wagner Group Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claims he will make the Belarusian military “the second (best) army in the world” as convoys of his mercenaries arrive in Belarus. The European Parliament calls on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko for his role in
As NATO’s anticipated 2023 Vilnius Summit makes headlines, the alliance’s members urge Minsk to end its complicity in Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda urges NATO to bolster its eastern flank, claiming Belarus is “no longer independent’ but rather a “province of Russia.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko urges Belarusians to “calm down” after the presumed arrival of Wagner Group mercenaries following their day-long insurrection in Russia. Rumors continue circulating about whether camps to house Wagner troops are under construction. Lukashenko claims that the Wagner Group's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin is back in Russia. After
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has arrived in Belarus several days after his day-long insurrection in Russia. Meanwhile, Lukashenko denies claims that camps for Wagner mercenaries are under construction in Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims Wagner troops that do not want to join Russia’
Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that the first of Russia's tactical nukes destined for Belarus have arrived. Ukraine denies Putin's claim, saying Russia has yet to deliver a "single nuclear warhead" to Belarus. PACE urges "practical support" for exiled Belarusians, calling on its members to make legal entry, stay, and
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims that Russian tactical nukes will arrive in Belarus within “days,” noting he won’t hesitate to use them should Belarus “face an aggression.” Belarus doesn’t have the launch codes. A draft bill awaiting Lukashenko’s approval proposes expanding the reasons for which martial law
May 30 marks 24 years since the tragic Niamiha stampede, when thousands rushed into an underground passageway of Minsk’s Niamiha metro station, killing over 50 and injuring around 400. In a controversial speech at the 2023 Globsec summit in Bratislava, French President Emmanuel Macron claims Western sanctions “pushed Belarus
Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko says nuclear weapons are already on their way to Belarus, claiming Russia will give nukes to any country that joins the Union State. Poland sanctions over 300 Belarusian officials and suspends freight traffic for Russian and Belarusian vehicles at its border in response to Minsk's decision
Eduard Babaryka, the son of jailed ex-presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, goes on trial after spending three years in a pre-trial detention center. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. In an unprecedented move, Belarusian authorities "pardon" jailed Belarusian activist Raman Pratasevich, who was given an eight-year
Belarusian authorities publish footage of dictator Alexander Lukashenko conducting work trips in an attempt to refute rumors of his poor health. His voice remains hoarse, his hand bandaged, just like at the Victory Day celebrations, after which he disappeared from the public eye. The European Parliament issued a resolution calling
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s swift departure from the Red Square Victory Day events sparks rumors about the dictator’s health. Belarusian blogger and political prisoner Mikalai Klimovich dies in custody. The 61-year-old was sentenced to a year in prison for “liking” a caricature of Lukashenko posted on social media.
Viktar Babaryka, who ran against dictator Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election and is now a political prisoner, was hospitalized with a punctured lung and signs of physical abuse. Belarusian authorities continue to crack down on political activists, as a Minsk court sentences activist Raman Pratasevich to eight years
President Volodymyr Zelensky visits northwestern Volyn Oblast and checks border with Belarus. Belarus prepares for the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missile systems as local units complete training in Russia. The number of political prisoners in Belarus reaches 1,500 people, with experts suggesting the actual figure may be much
Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko meets in Minsk with the head of Russia’s proxies in occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast, offering to provide industrial and agricultural assistance. Meanwhile, Minsk continues to propel Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric, claiming that Belarus has the equipment, aircraft, and sites necessary to accommodate Russian nuclear
In a meeting with Russia's defense minister, Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko requested that Moscow defend Belarus "as its own territory" in the event of an attack. Meanwhile, Belarus' foreign minister meets with his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest to discuss the countries' continued economic cooperation. Two high-profile cases against Belarusian opposition
Nuclear disarmament The Spotlight segment provides readers with the historical context of contemporary events in Belarus. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Five years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus went from having the world's eighth-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons to becoming an entirely non-nuclear state.
Spotlight Freedom Day - Dzen Voli March 25 marks one of the most important days in Belarusian history. On this day in 1918, the Belarusian Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from Russia. Pahonia was adopted as the coat of arms, and the white-red-white flag became official. These symbols have been
A European Parliament resolution calls for additional sanctions on Belarus. The statement also concerns the "so-called integration" of Russia and Belarus. A report issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights suggests that ongoing repressions against dissidents in Belarus may constitute "crimes against humanity." Belarusian authorities sentence TUT.by
Belarus’ dictator Alexander Lukashenko visits fellow Russian ally Iran to discuss the countries’ bilateral relations and look into ways to potentially bypass growing international sanctions. In Belarus, Lukashenko signed a law introducing the death penalty as punishment for civil servants and military personnel convicted of high treason. Belarusian authorities conducted
As tensions mount between Kyiv and Minsk amid Russia's war, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims that the CIA and the SBU were behind the Machulishchy airfield explosion. Ukraine rejects involvement. Two high-profile trials come to a close, resulting in lengthy prison sentences for Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Ales Bialiatski,
Two explosions rocked Machulishchy airfield near Minsk on Feb. 26, destroying a Russian A-50 warning and control aircraft. Belarus ups border security after explosions. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko pays a state visit to Beijing, claiming that “not a single issue in the world can be resolved without China.” Prosecutors order
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin meet near Moscow to discuss further cooperation as Minsk prepares to produce Russian military aircraft. Meanwhile, a leaked document revealed that the Kremlin plans to take over Belarus by 2023, according to a joint investigation by the Kyiv Independent. Over
In February 2015, the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia met in Minsk to hold talks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Following the 15-hour-long talks, the second Minsk Agreement was reached, intended to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine’s east. The agreement envisioned a ceasefire, withdrawal
Belarus takes an unsurprising hit to its Democracy Index, published by The Economist Group, placing 153rd out of 167 countries. Russian military aircraft remain in Belarus after finishing announced joint flight exercises in what is likely an effort by Moscow to bolster its forces in the country. Belarus dictator Alexander
In response to Belarus' year-long support of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the European Union is preparing a fresh round of sanctions against Minsk. The new restrictions will align with those imposed on Moscow, helping to block the circumvention of sanctions through Belarus. One of Russia's military divisions completes training
The week marks the 160th anniversary of the 1863 uprising against Russian imperial rule. The January uprising led by Kastus Kalinouski was an attempt to re-establish a joint Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian independent state. The most prominent Belarusian military formation fighting for Ukraine bears his name. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko
Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Joint Russian-Belarusian flight exercises begin in Belarus. The Institute for the Study of War notes that Moscow will likely deploy additional forces to Belarus. Meanwhile, exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s in absentia trial begins in Minsk. She continues to speak out
Belarus prepares to host a joint military aviation exercise with Russia as echelons of Moscow’s military personnel continue to move into the country. Belarus claims that such efforts are “not directed against third parties.” Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko signed an amendment to the country’s citizenship law, allowing the
Belarus entered 2022 gobbled in its ongoing political crisis and finished it as an accomplice in an unprovoked and brutal Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko conceded his country's sovereignty to Russia, becoming entirely reliant on President Vladimir Putin's will. Belarus reached technical default on its foreign debt
