Belarus

Putin observes war games with Belarus that worry EU neighbours

Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia on Monday expressed concerns about the war games, saying Russia has not been transparent about them.

Russia, Belarus continue massive military drills

Moscow says 200,000 personnel will take part in the week-long Zapad-2021 military exercise in Belarus, western Russia and the Baltic Sea, one of the country's biggest drills in recent years.

Belarus leader Lukashenko meets Russian counterpart Putin in Moscow

Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko is meeting his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow today to discuss integrating the two countries and upcoming joint military exercises.

Czech Republic helps Lithuania fund border fence with Belarus

The deal comes after Lithuania asked fellow EU member states for assistance against illegal migration.

Belarusian political activist Maria Kolesnikova given 11-year jail term

Kolesnikova was a key figure of the Belarusian opposition in last year's disputed presidential election.

Belarus court gives opposition activists lengthy sentences

Brussels working on fresh sanctions against Belarus over migrant influx

The European Commission confirmed to MEPs that new measures targetting the Lukashenko regime were being prepared.

Lithuania challenged on migration law changes amid Belarus border row

The Council of Europe says the changes "remove, in the case of an emergency situation, significant safeguards in the asylum procedure".

Migrants in limbo at Poland-Belarus border as Polish legalise pushbacks

"Such a change will, in the opinion of the Ombudsman, be absolutely contrary to the Geneva Convention on refugees," says Marcin Sosniak of the Ombudsman's office. "It is also contrary to European Union..

Poland will build a fence on its border with Belarus to stop migrants

A 2.5-metre-tall fence will be erected along most of the 150-kilometre border, with construction due to begin next week.

Belarusian Olympic sprinter speaks out on taking refuge in Poland

Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya, who refused to her country’s orders to return home after she refused to run in an event she hadn’t trained for at Tokyo 2020, spoke out about seeking..

Exiled Olympian: 'People in Belarus are really afraid'

Kristina Timanovskaya, Belarusian Olympic sprinter turned unlikely dissident gives her account of what happened in Tokyo, her new life in Poland and her message to the people of Belarus and the world

Hear stories from the border of Europe's last dictatorship

EU countries such as Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have accused Belarus of organizing “state-sponsored” illegal migration in retaliation to state sanctions imposed by the European Union. As the..

Lithuania to build fence on Belarus border to stop migrants

Lukashenko treats sports 'like his own toy'

The president of Belarus is saying that the Olympic athlete who defected from his country during the games, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, was "manipulated" by outside forces. But another athlete who left..

Belarus leader Lukashenko lashes out after new US, UK sanctions

How sports became a ‘battleground for reprisals’ in Belarus

Olympic athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya joined a group of defecting Belarusian sportspeople when she spurned her homeland.

Defiant Belarus leader shrugs off sanctions

A defiant President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday a Belarusian sprinter defected at the Olympic Games only because she had been "manipulated" by outside forces and shrugged off a coordinated..

Revolt, repression and reprisals: A look back at a year of turmoil in Belarus

Monday marks one year since the disputed election in Belarus, which sparked a protest movement of unprecedented size.

The struggle is not over for a democratic Belarus | View

One year after elections widely viewed as unfair, Franak Viacorka, advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, says they will continue to fight for reforms and that the regime’s recent actions are..

Belarus marks one year since disputed election

Exhibition marks Belarus crackdown anniversary

Another form of protest - how Belarusian political prisoners are being remembered, a year after a disputed election.

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya: Two Belarus coaches removed from Tokyo Olympics

It was done as an interim measure during a formal investigation “in the interest of the wellbeing of the athletes,” the International Olympic Committee said.