Tag

Lukashenko

All articles tagged with #lukashenko

world22 days ago•129 min saved

Belarus frees 25 prisoners in swap for partial sanctions relief from the U.S.

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.

via AP News|

#belarus #human-rights #lukashenko

world23 days ago•394 min saved

Belarus frees 25 detainees in interim sanctions-relief deal with Washington

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.

via NBC News|

#belarus #human-rights #lukashenko

world28 days ago•6 min saved

Lukashenko Signals Possible Mobilization, Rules Out Attacking Neighbors

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.

via Kyiv Post|

#belarus #lukashenko #military

world2 months ago•4 min saved

Kremlin weighs rescue package for Russia’s online retailer after Ukrainian drone strikes

Ukraine’s drone strikes on Wildberries’ warehouses have forced Moscow to consider government backing for the online retailer, likely through state banks like VTB, to avert wider financial damage. Kyiv says it is targeting Wildberries for aiding Russia’s war effort and has pressed for prosecutor action against Belarus’s Lukashenko; the episode highlights the war’s spillover into Russia’s economy and banking sector amid sanctions and diplomacy efforts.

via The Guardian|

#lukashenko #russian-economy #ukraine-russia-war

world3 months ago•6 min saved

Oil, Drones, and a Kremlin Pivot

Ukraine’s drone strikes on oil infrastructure are framed as a strategic move to constrain Russia’s war economy, while Russia’s counter-drone actions and potential Belarus involvement signal a risky pivot; Lukashenko’s Moscow visit implies talks about a new front, but a decisive shift in Putin’s strategy remains unclear and contingent on energy defense and anti-drone capabilities.

via Geopolitical Futures|

#belarus #lukashenko #oil

world3 months ago•5 min saved

Beijing Talks Elevate Belarus-China Ties as Lukashenko Meets Xi After Putin

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping after meeting Vladimir Putin, with Xi describing Belarus–China relations as at a 'historic peak' and pledging closer political, economic, and industrial cooperation. Minsk’s alignment with Moscow looms over Kyiv, which warns against deeper Belarusian involvement in the war, noting Belarus’s support roles and ongoing military infrastructure developments along the Belarus–Ukraine border.

via The Kyiv Independent|

#belarus #china #lukashenko

world3 months ago•1 min saved

Putin Hosts Lukashenko at Valdai Amid Border-Relay Tensions

Putin hosted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at his Valdai residence to discuss the Union State, trade and regional security, with no media statements planned after the meeting; the backdrop is Zelensky’s push to remove Belarusian border relay stations used to direct Russian strikes on Ukraine, a demand Lukashenko says he has discussed with Zelensky’s representatives, while Belarus states it does not want to join the war.

via Meduza|

#belarus #lukashenko #putin

europe3 months ago•6 min saved

Belarus Nears Completion of Border Military Infrastructure, Zelensky Warns of Expanded Threat

President Zelensky says Belarus is close to finishing military infrastructure along the Belarus-Ukraine border, including road networks and ammunition depots, signaling Minsk could deepen involvement in Russia’s war; Kyiv has warned Minsk to de-escalate after tensions over equipment used to support drone strikes and has signaled concern Moscow may pull Belarus further into the conflict.

via The Kyiv Independent|

#belarus #europe #lukashenko

world3 months ago•48 min saved

Belarus’s Lukashenko warns Kyiv not to pull Minsk into war

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he warned Ukraine not to drag Belarus into the war, stressing Belarus has no desire to fight Ukrainians and that if Kyiv tries to pull Minsk into conflict, the nature of the war would change instantly; he noted that Zelenskiy’s representatives had recently been in Minsk. Zelenskiy has warned that Belarus could be used to support Russia’s attacks on Ukraine and cited border upgrades, while Moscow denies plans to expand the war via Belarus. Analysts are skeptical the West can drive a wedge between Lukashenko and Putin, and Belarus’ ties to Russia—through shared oil infrastructure and joint military activity—keep Minsk closely aligned with Moscow.

via Yahoo|

#belarus #lukashenko #russia

world3 months ago•6 min saved

Belarus Resists Kremlin Push to Expand War, Drains Drone Fronts

ISW says Moscow is pressuring Lukashenko to deepen Belarus’s involvement in its war on Ukraine—potentially allowing drone launches and widening the frontline—but Minsk appears to resist, as Belarus halts drone-repeater operations near the border after Zelensky’s ultimatum. Russia shows little interest in genuine peace talks while contending with domestic fuel shortages and seeking to stabilize supplies, including talks with Kazakhstan for gasoline.

via Kyiv Post|

#belarus #drones #lukashenko

world3 months ago•13 min saved

Moscow Pushes Minsk to Open New Fronts in Ukraine War and Anti-NATO Plans

Russia is pressuring Belarus to open a new front in its war with Ukraine, including using Belarusian territory to launch more drones into Ukraine and potentially pursue anti-NATO operations; Minsk hosts about 2,000 Russian troops and serves as a fuel/refining hub for Moscow. Zelensky warned Lukashenko to dismantle Russian drone stations, while Moscow denies Belarus’s participation. Although there are no signs of an imminent attack, the push signals deeper Russian leverage over Belarus and a risk of wider escalation as Lukashenko moves closer to Putin.

via The Jerusalem Post|

#belarus #lukashenko #nato

world3 months ago•1 min saved

Belarus-based drone relays go offline after Zelensky's ultimatum to Lukashenko

Zelensky said relay stations on the Ukraine–Belarus border that guided Russian drones went offline on June 22, after his ultimatum to Lukashenko. Ukrainian authorities say the equipment may not have been physically dismantled yet, and there has been a drop in drone flights through the Chernihiv region with no mass Shahed transits along the Belarus–Ukraine border, though the exact fate of the hardware remains unclear.

via Meduza|

#belarus #drones #lukashenko

war3 months ago•141 min saved

Belarus halts drone-guidance gear after Zelensky’s ultimatum

Belarus has stopped equipment used to guide Russian drone strikes from its territory after Zelensky issued an ultimatum to Minsk; Kyiv says the relay gear on Belarusian towers ceased operating by June 22, border guards report fewer Shahed drone incursions along the Belarus–Ukraine border, and Lukashenko’s alliance with Russia persists despite the development.

via The Kyiv Independent|

#belarus #drones #lukashenko

world3 months ago•11 min saved

Belarus Halts Drone-Targeting Transmitters, Zelensky Demands Action

President Zelensky said Belarus has halted retransmitters used to guide Russia’s Shahed drones toward Ukraine, with briefings indicating the equipment on Belarusian soil stopped operating as of Monday. Zelensky had given Lukashenko a one-week ultimatum to remove the systems near the border; Minsk has offered no public comment. Moscow condemned Kyiv’s demand, and Belarus has signaled a potential shift away from neutrality, raising tensions amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

via Kyiv Post|

#belarus #lukashenko #shahed-drones

world3 months ago•8 min saved

Belarus Opposition Warns Minsk Is Moving Toward Moscow's War Effort

The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus has delivered a 30-page report to Ukraine accusing President Lukashenko of moving Belarus from neutrality toward Moscow's war agenda, citing eight indicators such as constitutional amendments, a sharp rise in defense spending, expanded forces and reserves, deeper integration with Russia’s arms industry, the presence of Russian troops and tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil, Wagner Group training, and civilian wartime preparations—and warning Kyiv that Minsk could join Russia's war against Ukraine.

via Kyiv Post|

#belarus #lukashenko #military