All articles tagged with #belarus
Latvian officials report that armed, masked individuals from Belarus attempted to force 20 migrants across the border, threatened Latvian soldiers, and subsequently entered Latvia to steal surveillance cameras and damage electrical infrastructure before retreating.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus cannot increase potash shipments to satisfy Donald Trump, noting that current volumes are already contracted; Trump has touted a cheaper deal with Belarus potash while Washington seeks pricing below Canada’s. Belarus produces about 6 million metric tons of potash annually, compared with Canada’s ~15 Mt, and U.S. imports roughly 5.6 Mt. Belarus had resumed potash exports to the U.S. after sanctions were lifted in March, but Lukashenko stressed year‑to‑year output is spoken for. He also called for the unfreezing of about $43–$44 million in state funds held in Citibank and noted Ukraine rejected a request to route Belarusian potash transit through its territory, highlighting broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the fertilizer trade.
Trump touts a major deal to buy Belarusian potash to replace Canadian imports at lower prices, but Lukashenko says Belarus has no extra supply since most potash is already contracted, highlighting ongoing supply constraints and sanctions that shape U.S. fertilizer imports.
President Trump announced a 'massive' Belarus potash deal to beat Canadian fertilizer prices, signaling warmer US-Minsk ties despite sanctions and Belarus' Russia-aligned stance.
Belarus released 25 prisoners in a deal brokered with the United States in exchange for partial sanctions relief, including lifting penalties on two state banks and the Finance Ministry and removing top Belarusian potash producers from sanctions. The move follows a broader crackdown after the 2020 election; Viasna counts 887 political prisoners still behind bars, and opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Vilnius said the releases do not represent political change. Those freed include media managers Andrei Aliaksandrau and Liudmila Chekina and journalists Dzmitry Navazhylau and Kiryl Pazniak, with reports of confiscated passports for some detainees.
Belarus freed 25 detainees in an interim deal with the United States, with two state firms removed from sanctions and the promise of further relief as talks continue; the move is meant to improve U.S.-Belarus relations and pave the way for more prisoner releases, even as rights groups say hundreds remain jailed and Lukashenko denies political prisoners exist.
An Italian NATO jet shot down a suspected Russian drone that crossed into Lithuania from Belarus; debris will be analyzed to confirm its origin. Lithuanian officials framed the incident as part of a pattern of aggression tied to the Ukraine war, as EU leaders warned of wider conflict and NATO pledged further support for Ukraine.
Denmark accuses Russia of gradually expanding what it considers acceptable conduct as Baltic security tensions rise, after NATO fighter jets shot down a drone over Lithuania that likely originated from Belarus; Lithuania and Poland reported airspace activity tied to Russian actions amid broader Ukraine-related strikes.
NATO fighter jets destroyed a drone that crossed from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, a move Lithuania described as proof of the alliance’s vigilance and readiness as Russia’s war in Ukraine persists; the incident underscores heightened eastern-border security and follows related aviation measures by Poland amid broader regional deterrence concerns.
An ICIJ China Capital investigation based on 4.8 million ICBC London records (2005–2024) shows ICBC used its London branch to finance companies tied to sanctioned Russians and autocrats, often bending AML rules to back Beijing’s Belt and Road and Made in China 2025 agendas. The leak spotlights clients like Nornickel tied to Oleg Deripaska, the Aliyev family's Pasha Bank and Socar, Angola’s Sonangol, and a Belarus JV with Zoomlion, with internal memos showing Beijing-directed priorities despite regulator concerns.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko indicated readiness inspections could cover the entire army and potentially lead to mobilization, but he insisted Belarus has no plans to attack neighboring states, calling such a conflict “tantamount to death” because Belarus could not win against surrounding powers. He cited ongoing drills, including an artillery brigade inspection, and emphasized readiness to deploy the military command system if needed, all while Belarus remains closely aligned with Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Latvia stopped 28 migrants who crossed from Belarus through a moss-covered underground tunnel, the second such tunnel found this month. Riga says the surge reflects a broader, state-led push by Minsk to pressure the EU, part of ongoing irregular migration and a ‘hybrid attack.’ Latvia is boosting border protection with fencing and technology and has received regional support from Estonia, Lithuania and Finland, with Poland likely to sign a similar agreement; a criminal case has been opened against Belarusian border officials as authorities cite organised, cross-border trafficking aimed at Europe.
Latvian border guards detected a 10-meter tunnel used by 15 migrants to illegally cross from Belarus; all were returned to their departure country as Latvia strengthens border security amid concerns of Minsk weaponizing migration.
ISW says the Kremlin is running a targeted information campaign around the claimed seizure of Kostyantynivka to influence Trump and Western audiences, while Ukrainian officials and independent observers say Russian forces have infiltrated but not captured the city. Moscow floated a short-term ceasefire to extract Ukrainian KIA and consolidate positions, a move ISW views as cognitive warfare rather than a real concession. Russia continues to face manpower and air-defense challenges while conducting drone/missile strikes across Ukraine, with Belarusian support aiding rear-area stabilization; Ukraine counters with strikes on Russian assets and energy infrastructure across multiple fronts.
Belarusian Security Council Secretary Alexander Volfovich urged Belarusians to avoid traveling to Russia, especially border regions, after Russian officials blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on a Belarusian bus in the Bryansk region. Belarusian authorities presented divergent narratives, with some stating the bus was struck accidentally, while Russia and others blamed Ukraine. The incident follows a second Bryansk bus attack, which Kyiv called a provocation; Belarusian opposition figures also cautioned against travel to Russia, as Lukashenko remained silent on the matter.