Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential election
Alexander Lukashenko announced last year that he intended to run again in the presidential election.
Belarus news
The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets
Editor's note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Jan. 20-Jan. 26. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday. The global spotlight will be fixed firmly on Washington
Lukashenko frees 23 more Belarusian political prisoners
Nearly 1,300 prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, Viasna Human Rights Center reported.
24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier killed in action near Bakhmut
Maria Zaitseva joined the Ukrainian army after the start of Russia's full-scale war and fought with the 2nd International Legion Battalion.
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. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Irregular crossings into EU from eastern
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
Lukashenko refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election
"This decision underscores the continued lack of commitment by the Belarusian authorities to invite other OSCE states to observe and provide an independent view on whether the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and international democratic standards."
Photos of jailed Belarusian opposition leader appear after almost 2 years of no news
Photos and a video of Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on Jan. 8 after the jailed Belarusian opposition leader was held incommunicado since February 2023.
Lukashenko's spox denies apology to Zelensky for Belarus's involvement in Russia's war
"No apologies have been made by the Belarus president to Zelensky, for the simple reason that we have nothing to apologize for," Lukashenko's spokesperson Natalia Eismont said.
Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky for Belarus' role, denied responsibility early in Russia's invasion, Zelensky says
Shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion began, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko apologized to President Volodymyr Zelensky over the country's involvement in the war, Zelensky revealed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman published on Jan. 5.
Lukashenko to visit China ahead of Belarus presidential elections
The reported visit will be Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's third trip to China in three years. Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation said.
Poland aims to fully fortify border with Belarus by mid-2025, senior official says
Poland plans to complete its fortified border wall and close the border with Belarus by next summer, aiming to curb what it sees as Russia's and Belarus's "hybrid war" through illegal migration, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk told the Financial Times on Dec. 29.
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
Lukashenko seeks to deploy 10 Russian Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus
"If the Russians want to deploy more, we will deploy more," Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said.
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
Belarus sentences 2 Belarusians, Ukrainian to 11-25 years for alleged terrorism
Two Belarusians and one Ukrainian were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 25 years by Belarusian authorities for their alleged involvement in preparing terrorist acts, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported on Dec. 19.
'You'll die here' – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko's reelection
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a "humane gesture" toward those who had "gone astray.
Deals over ideals — Anne Applebaum explains the playbook of autocracies in new book, and how to undermine them
Autocratic regimes like Russia are becoming increasingly bold in their efforts to undermine the principles and norms that came to define the democratic world order in the aftermath of World War II. A month after the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov even declared
EU imposes new sanctions on Belarusian officials and companies supporting Lukashenko regime
The sanctions target judges who sentenced opposition figures, law enforcement officials involved in persecuting dissidents, and heads of penitentiaries where political prisoners are held.
EU to impose first sanctions on Russian intelligence over disinformation campaigns, Bloomberg reports
The proposed measures target more than a dozen individuals and three entities, including Russian intelligence officers and media entrepreneurs, according to Bloomberg. The sanctions aim to counter destabilizing operations globally.
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
Tsikhanouskaya says Ukraine maintains relations with Belarusian opposition leaders
Svitlana Tsikhanouskaya, the most prominent Belarusian opposition leader, discussed efforts to maintain relations with Ukrainian authorities in a European Pravda interview on Dec. 10.
Lukashenko asks Putin to deploy Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus, Russian state-controlled media says
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko asked Russian President Vladimir Putin on Dec. 6 to deploy Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus, a weapon Russia recently used to strike Ukraine, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Belarus Weekly: Russians tortured Ukrainians in Belarus at start of full-scale invasion, investigation shows
Russian troops operated a torture chamber on Belarusian state-owned property in 2022, journalistic investigation reveals. Over 150 Russian drones flew into Belarusian airspace in November — three times the previous monthly record of incursions. The European Parliament urges stronger sanctions on Belarus, Iran, and North Korea for aiding Russia’s war
At least 10 Shahed-type drones veer into Belarus during overnight attack on Ukraine, monitoring group says
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 53 Shahed-type drones from Orel overnight on Dec. 6.
Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus
In Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine's Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operation by Belarusian secret
Russia, Belarus to set up joint military training centers, official claims
Russia and Belarus are planning to set up three training centers to jointly train soldiers, Gennady Lepeshko, the Belarusian security and defense senior official, claimed on Dec. 3, state-controlled news outlet Belta reported.
CERN ends cooperation with Russian institutes
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on Nov. 30 officially cut ties with research institutes in Russia, following a decision to allow the cooperation agreement to expire in light of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko threatens internet shutdown in case of protests during 2025 elections
Thirty-eight Russian combat drones enter Belarus on Nov. 24-25, marking the most significant overnight incursion so far and nearing the previous monthly record. Alexander Lukashenko threatens to shut down the internet in Belarus should protests occur during the 2025 presidential election. A Belarusian who fought on behalf of Ukraine as
Ukraine war latest: Russia's large-scale attack strikes a 'massive blow' at Ukraine's energy system
Key developments on Nov. 28: * Russia's large-scale attack strikes a 'massive blow' at Ukraine's energy system * 'Putin wants to escalate' before Trump takes office — Zelensky hits back at Oreshnik threats * Ukraine destroys Russian $5 million radar system in Crimea, military intelligence claims * Netherlands hands over 3 Patriot air defense launchers
Russian troops operated torture chamber for Ukrainians in Belarus in 2022, media reports
The chamber was located on Belarusian government-owned property in the town of Naroulia, not far from the border with Ukraine, the Belarusian Investigative Center reported
Record number of Russian attack drones entered Belarus overnight, monitoring group says
A record 38 Russian Shahed-type attack drones entered Belarusian territory overnight on Nov. 24-25, with at least one of the drones reportedly shot down by the Belarusian Air Force, the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported.
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