Above Photo: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, right, pauses during a meeting with high level military officials in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 5, 2021. (Nikolay Petrov / AP) The Primary Reason The U.S. Government Opposes The Lukashenko Administration Is Not Its Authoritarianism, Real As That Might Be. Instead, Lukashenko’s Steadfast Refusal To Privatize State Assets, Join NATO, Or Open The Country Up For Foreign Exploitation Are Washington’s Principal Objections. Minsk, Belarus — Quietly, the U.S. national security state is turning up the heat on Belarus, hoping that the ex-Soviet country of 9 million will be the next casualty of its regime-change agenda. This sentiment was […]
Belarus
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The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus confirmed Wednesday morning local time that a Russian-made Yak-130 jet trainer has crashed. Two pilots died when a training aircraft crashed outside the Baranovichi airport, Ministry of Defense officials say. There were two pilots in the cockpit of the Yak-130 trainer. Immediately after takeoff from the airfield, they discovered a technical malfunction of the car and decided to take it away from the town. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – “After making sure that the trajectory of the plane’s fall was outside the residential buildings, the pilots ejected. Unfortunately, both pilots […]
At least two U.S. Army RC-12X Guardrail aircraft equipped with a specialized system to provides multi-mission electronic surveillance support have conducted what appears spy mission in Lithuania near the border with Belarus, according to FlightRadar 24. According to data from the flight-tracking service, two RC-12X Guardrail aircraft, which carried the U.S. Army registration 92-13120 and 93-00701, are conducting their series of surveillance missions over Lithuania in border areas with Belarus amid an unprecedented escalation of tensions in the region. Guardrail, also known as Guardrail Common Sensor (GRCS), is a Special Electronic Mission Aircraft that has been providing critical Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance […]
Belarus is stepping up military activity over the country across the country amid continuing to deteriorate relations with neighboring countries and NATO. Hundreds of videos are circulating on social media showing the movement of heavy military vehicles and troops. Numerous witnesses report the movement of military convoys and trains loaded with large amounts of military hardware, including tanks and other heavy armored vehicles in areas along the Ukrainian and Russian borders. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – Video posted on Twitter on Apr. 20 appear to show trainload of BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers and Cayman armoured reconnaissance vehicles train station […]
The Tut.by has reported that on Monday a ballistic missile crashed into a home in Moiseevichi, which is within 100 km of Minsk. A Tochka-U short-range ballistic missile system Armed Forces of Belarus crossed a roadway and drove through a house in Moiseevichi, Asipovichy district on 5 April. No one was hurt as a result of the accident, but the house was seriously damaged. The missile system on its transporter-erector-launcher was evacuated out using heavy vehicles. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – It is reported that the military convoy, which included the Tochka-U missile systems, was moving towards Slutsk. The Tochka-U […]
A reporter from one of Germany’s highest-circulating dailies Bild, Julian Ropcke, tweeted Wednesday morning that Belarus deployed its troops to the country’s borders with Ukraine. “Dictator Lukashenko is also moving the Belarusian army towards the Ukrainian border (here 60 km north of the border of Rivne Oblast),” he said on Twitter. Photos released Wednesday by Julian Ropcke show large amounts of Belarus’ military hardware, including BTR-80 armored vehicles and military trucks. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – The military convoy was filmed on 31 March near Logishin, Belarus. In addition, earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Ruslan Khomchak said that Russia is […]
Belarus’ special chassis maker MZKT will showcase its new light armoured 5-seater vehicle MZKT-490101 during the upcoming International Defense Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) weapons expo in Dubai. Light armoured vehicle MZKT-490101 is all-wheel drive; it has a 4×4 wheel arrangement and steering wheels of the first axle. The carrying capacity is 1,800 kg. The new vehicle specially designed for export customers. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – In addition to using an imported engine, transmission and transfer case, light armoured vehicle MZKT-490101 has multiple unique technical solutions. Disc brakes with Knott calipers (Germany) are used on the light chassis. In […]
Four Russian-made Mi-35 attack helicopters will arrive for the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to sources in the Belarusian Defense Ministry. Minister of Defense Viktor Khrenin in an interview with state-run TV channel Belarus-1 also confirmed that Belarus signed contract with Russia’s arms export company for four Mi-35 helicopters for Armed Forces of Belarus. In addition, earlier on 14 January, Chief of the Air Force and Air Defense Command of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Major-General Igor Golub has announced that contracts on supplying Mi-35 helicopters and another […]
Russia has delivered a batch of Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker multirole fighter jets to Belarus with French-made advanced avionics. Multiple news outlets reported that Belarus has received new Su-30SM twin-seat fighter aircraft equipped with an advanced Man-Machine-Interface system developed by the Thales. The fighter jets were designed by Sukhoi Design Bureau on order from the Ministry of the Republic of Belarus based on the upgraded export version of the Su-30. A contract for delivery was signed in 2017. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – Belarus’ version differs from the bases Su-30 in the composition of airborne equipment, as some equipment items […]
U.S. Army M1 Abrams main battle tanks, HMMWVs and other tactical military vehicles were spotted in Lithuanian forest in the training area Pabrade, 15 km from the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, according to multiple reports. According to a recent Army service news release, U.S. troops and tanks have arrived in Lithuania for deployment to support Lithuanian land forces with interoperability training missions and deterrence for foreign aggressors. “Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were met by Lithuanian rail operators to execute the task of getting M1 Abrams tanks, HMMWVs and other tactical military vehicles off rail […]
Belarusian Opposition Figure Awarded Freedom Prize Will ‘Sell Belarus Out’ By Mohamed Elmaazi, Sputnik News. October 29, 2020 Belarusian Opposition Figure Awarded Freedom Prize Will ‘Sell Belarus Out’2020-10-292020-10-29https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/10/belarus-e1603980658859.jpg200px200px Above photo: Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. From EPP Group. Western-led institutions and governments are not genuinely interested in the right of self-determination of the Belarusian people as is evidenced by their one-sided support for anti-government groups and individuals, a student of Eastern European politics tells Sputnik. The European Parliament selected Belarus’ opposition movement as the winners of 2020’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The European Union’s legislative body specifically singled out a number of people […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/0b/1080738835_0:0:3071:1729_1200x675_80_0_0_19871c180d22b937a1ed59f34aadbb52.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202010181080806380-nearly-60-people-detained-at-saturday-protests-across-belarus-interior-ministry-says/ MINSK (Sputnik) – Almost 60 people have been detained during unauthorized opposition protests across Belarus on Saturday, including 43 participants in students’ demonstration in Minsk, the Belarusian Interior Ministry’s spokeswoman, Olga Chemodanova, said on Sunday. The opposition march of more than 100 people began at around 12:50 local time (09:50 GMT) on Saturday near a Minsk university, but was soon dispersed by police in riot gear. According to the Minsk-based Viasna human rights center, at least 30 people, including three reporters, have been detained. In addition, several dozen opposition supporters held a traditional women’s […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Council of Europe is ready to help Belarus on its way to reforms, the CoE leaders said in a joint statement. The statement was made by the Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Rik Daems, and the Secretary-General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric. “Developments after the presidential elections of 9 August in Belarus and the crackdown exercised by the authorities and law enforcement remain of greatest concern. Freedom of assembly and freedom […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/0e/1080763361_0:-1:1321:742_1200x675_80_0_0_3105bfd1120d49da07ec0b5f9895a4ca.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Evan Craighead . Sputnik International https://sputniknews.com/us/202010141080763408-pro-trump-ad-once-again-features-footage-of-non-americans-this-time-from-russia-belarus/ Like several other recent pro-Trump advertisements, a new, 30-second TV spot relies on foreign stock footage while taking shots at Democratic presidential nominee and former US Vice President Joe Biden. America First Action, a group that has reportedly raised $82 million toward the reelection of US President Donald Trump, debuted a major ad last week in Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that is dubbed “Pandemic Tax,” Politico reported. The footage warns of “HIGHER TAXES ON EVERY INCOME GROUP” while showing stock footage that is currently available for $65 via user Kmikhidov on […]
Belarusian tennis ace Aryna Sabalenka has apologised for confrontational comments in response to criticism over her silence over protests taking place across the nation, but blamed “harassment” online for her outburst. Women’s top 20 player Sabalenka had received derogatory comments from some Belarusians for a post on Instagram in which she discussed a new makeup routine, and was criticised for not making any statement on the unrest in Belarus, which has come about amid allegations of corruption against current president Alexander Lukashenko during the 2020 elections in the country. One Instagram user commented it was “embarrassing” the 22-year-old simply chose to […]
The first of two Russia-built reactors at the Belarusian nuclear power plant has reached criticality. Its Baltic neighbors pledged to stop electricity trade when the plant launched. The Astravets nuclear power plant (known in Belarus as BelAes) is a joint project with Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom. On Sunday, the first chain reaction was launched at one of the VVER-1200 type reactors and sustained at the minimum controlled power level, Belarus’ energy ministry reported. The reactor is expected to pass through several tests before becoming fully operational and start supplying electricity to the power grid sometime next year. Also on […]
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has paid an unexpected visit to a detention center in Minsk, meeting incarcerated members of the so-called ‘Coordination council of the opposition’. The unusual move was reported by local media on Saturday, with a short video from the meeting emerging on social media later in the day. Members of the opposition ‘council’ were detained over calls to overthrow the government amid the unrest that followed the contested August 9 presidential election. The activists are currently being held at the pre-trial detention center of the Belarus State Security Committee (KGB) in Minsk. Among other things, Lukashenko touched upon […]
During the police suppression of post-election protest in Belarus, the authorities in Minsk bought surveillance drones with almost $900,000 of EU money. And it happened as Brussels publicly condemned the Lukashenko government. The funds to purchase the 15 drones was provided through a Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus cross-border cooperation program – part of the EU’s European Neighborhood Instrument, the mission of which is to promote human rights, development, and European Market integration in nearby countries. According to the country’s State Forensic Examination Committee, the drones will be used in Minsk, Vitebsk, and Grodno to help “in the inspection of man-made and natural disasters, and […]
Belarus is cracking down on reporters. The nation’s government, led by President Alexander Lukashenko, whose election was mired in controversy and has not been recognized by the European Union, announced Friday it was canceling the press accreditations for all foreign journalists immediately. The move comes as Belarus continues blocking its citizens from accessing local media websites, including the Belarusian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, in the wake of a massive, three-day internet outage and weeks of protests over the Aug. 8 election. Now, some media outlets are fighting back. To make their mobile apps more resilient, some Belarusian news organizations are using NewNode, a decentralized […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo-itemprop.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/world/202010021080644438-us-treasury-slaps-belarus-with-personal-sanctions-targeting-8-individuals/ Source link
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo-itemprop.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202010021080638780-belarus-mulling-viability-of-maintaining-diplomatic-relations-with-eu-amid-sanctions/ The European Council has made a political decision to introduce sanctions on Belarus and will work on technicalities, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has said that Minsk may reconsider the level of its diplomatic presence in the EU and is mulling the viability of maintaining diplomatic relations with the bloc. DETAILS TO FOLLOW Source link
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/01/1080635556_0:125:3320:1993_1200x675_80_0_0_18fb231b851441980a11a444f0a68626.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/world/202010011080635535-leaders-of-eu-countries-agreed-during-eu-summit-on-sanctions-against-belarus–reports/ EU politicians have declined to endorse Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, despite him winning the August election with over 80 percent of the popular vote. The leaders of the EU countries have reached an agreement on sanctions against the Belarusian government, Agence France-Presse reported on Friday, citing its diplomatic sources. Mass opposition protests broke out across Belarus following the presidential election on 9 August that saw President Alexander Lukashenko reelected for a sixth term. While electoral authorities maintain that Lukashenko collected over 80 percent of the vote, the opposition insists that […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the situation in Belarus in a phone call, Moscow reiterated its position on the inadmissibility of attempts to interfere in the country’s internal affairs, the Kremlin said in a statement. The sides also agreed on further contacts. “The situation after the presidential elections in Belarus was also touched upon. The Russian side reaffirmed its principled position on the inadmissibility of any attempts to meddle in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and put external pressure on the legitimate authorities”, the statement said. Presidential elections were held in […]
WARSAW, Poland—One of the rare successes chalked up by the regime of Europe’s last dictator has been the establishment of a kind of East European Silicon Valley, which spawned a booming industry of Belarusian programmers and tech start-ups. The autocratic president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, now fears he has created a monster. An army of 30,000 tech-savvy professionals is turning against its creator. Coders and software engineers, many of whom are linked to the state-sponsored Hi-Tech Park in Minsk, have formed a hacking collective called Cyber Partisans which is wreaking havoc as Lukashenko tries to quell a growing revolution. Thousands of […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/1c/1080597670_0:0:1200:675_1200x675_80_0_0_e166242b09fbe9105a921d666db1e3cb.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009281080597719-first-batch-of-sputnik-v-vaccine-delivered-to-belarus/ MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The first batch of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was delivered to Belarus for clinical trials, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced Monday. “The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, announces the delivery of the first batch of the Russian vaccine against coronavirus, Sputnik V, to the Republic of Belarus”, the fund said in a press release. The vaccination of volunteers will begin on 1 October as “part of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine”, the press release read. The Russian sovereign wealth […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/1b/1080589803_0:0:2234:1257_1200x675_80_0_0_d3f1b8e9d5059c2bcacf23a6b0fc5165.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009271080589850-nearly-200-detained-across-belarus-at-sunday-opposition-rallies-interior-ministry-says/ MINSK (Sputnik) – The number of people detained at protests across Belarus this Sunday has approached 200 in total, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova said. “According to updated information, the number of detainees has approached 200,” Chemodanova said. A list of detained individuals posted on the website of the Viasna human rights centre shows that detentions have taken place in many cities in Belarus, including Minsk, Grodno, Mogilev, Vitebsk and others. Weekend opposition rallies have become commonplace across the nation following the disputed August 9 presidential election, in which longtime President Alexander Lukashenko claimed […]
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Sanctions and foreign interference in the internal affairs of Belarus will have the opposite effect, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said at the UN General Assembly, warning against attempts to bring chaos to Belarus. “We note with regret the increasing attempts by a series of countries to abuse the UN platform including the Security Council, to further their own narrow political interests. This includes some western nations focusing their attention on the situation Belarus,” Makei said. Makei stressed that in August, the people of Belarus made their choice during the presidential elections. “They chose a stable and […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104982/26/1049822630_0:183:3500:2151_1200x675_80_0_0_0f4a931ce25aea364db9db92a5b3c9c2.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/world/202009231080545631-belarus-presidential-spokeswoman-not-revealing-date-of-lukashenkos-swearing-in-ceremony/ MINSK (Sputnik) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s spokeswoman, Natalya Eismont, was reluctant to tell Sputnik when the elected leader would be sworn-in but promised to provide information closer to the date of the ceremony. “As of now, I can only tell you that we will certainly announce it to you closer to the date of the swearing-in ceremony”, Eismont said when asked to comment on claims the ceremony could be held on 29 September. Belarus held the presidential election on 9 August. According to the final results, revealed by the Central Election Commission, Lukashenko […]
MINSK (Sputnik) – More than 10 people were arrested during anti-government rallies in Minsk alone, likely many more cumulatively as reports about arrests keep coming from other regions of Belarus, Belarusian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova told Sputnik on Sunday. “More than 10 people have been detained in Minsk so far, but the data is changing. Arrests were conducted in other Belarusian regions as well, but we cannot yet say how many people have been detained in the country as a whole”, Chemodanova said. According to the spokeswoman, all arrests were conducted on the grounds of “violation of the law on […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia calls on the European Union to reconsider its policies towards Minsk and believes that they lead to erosion of the fundamental rules of the international legal order and prevent the normalization of the situation in the country, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday. According to Zakharova, Brussels does not respect Belarus’ domestic political realities and, while performing its policies, is betting on replacing governments through sanctions, pressure and propaganda. “Unfortunately, Belarus is not the only example in this regard. We call on the European Union to reconsider this course, which leads to the erosion […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/05/1080373427_0:0:2622:1474_1200x675_80_0_0_834642da2b74577c5b1f425e0a8abccb.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009191080513866-belarus-warns-to-consider-tikhanovskayas-meeting-with-eu-foreign-ministers-meddling/ MINSK (Sputnik) – The participation of former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers next week will amount to interference in Belarus’ internal affairs, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said on Saturday. “It could certainly be funny and curious if it were not so sad. It is quite obvious, in fact, that such actions, if any, are an impudent and open interference in the internal affairs of our country and complete disrespect for its citizens,” Glaz said. “Why holding any elections at all if it is possible […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The tongue-slip of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in the European Parliament may indicate the “depth” of proficiency in the Belarusian dossier in Brussels, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said. “I’ll ask right away: don’t interpret my answer as interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine. … Although, of course, already this tongue-slip, unfortunately, obviously shows the depth of Brussels’ proficiency in the Belarusian dossier. Perhaps, this is partially our flaw. Everyone can be wrong. But in this case, something else is totally upsetting – the EU’s complete unwillingness to even try to objectively understand the ongoing […]
Moscow has disbanded a law enforcement reserve unit stationed on its border with Belarus following talks between the presidents of the two countries. The force was formed last month at Minsk’s request and raised eyebrows abroad. Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko, met in Sochi on Monday. The decision to dismantle the formation was one of a variety of subsequent announcements, but flew somewhat under the radar. “An important outcome of the talks between both presidents in Sochi is the agreement on Russia dismantling the backup law enforcement and National Guard unit that was established near the […]
Opposition supporters protest against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Sunday. TUT.BY/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption TUT.BY/AFP via Getty Images Opposition supporters protest against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Sunday. TUT.BY/AFP via Getty Images More than 100,000 protesters flooded the streets of the capital Minsk on Sunday in ongoing protests calling for Belarus’ authoritarian president to resign. Sunday’s protests come on the eve of President Alexander Lukashenko’s planned meeting on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. It will be the first time the two leaders will meet face-to-face since unrest erupted in Belarus […]
A woman covered in a red and white flag is among protesters in Minsk on Sept. 6. Sunday’s demonstration marked the beginning of the fifth week of daily protests calling for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s resignation. AP hide caption toggle caption AP A woman covered in a red and white flag is among protesters in Minsk on Sept. 6. Sunday’s demonstration marked the beginning of the fifth week of daily protests calling for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s resignation. AP In Belarus, another member of the country’s opposition has been detained by security agents — the latest in a series of disappearances […]
In protest-ridden Belarus, dissidents are using bitcoin to get around political repression. On Aug. 8, the day of a highly controversial presidential election, a city hall employee in the town of Pinsk named Maria Koltsyna went to a polling station with a white hairband on her wrist. It was a small gesture of protest: Belarusians who voted against the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko wore white. Maria’s co-workers immediately took notice of her white accessory, and soon after she was fired. People in Belarus have been protesting the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko for a month, claiming he was not the legitimate […]
Around 24 hours after she was apparently abducted, in broad daylight, on the streets of Minsk, confusion reigned about the exact whereabouts and status of Belarusian protest leader Maria Kolesnikova, on Tuesday morning. Belarusian border guards say she was detained at the Belarus-Ukraine border, on Tuesday morning, but two of her associates, Anton Rodnenkov and Ivan Kravtsov, crossed into Ukraine. Earlier, it had been reported that all three opposition activists had left Belarusian soil. Officials claimed that after passing the control, Kolesnikova was “pushed” out of the car, but she did not need medical assistance. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kiev reported […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1f/1080331428_0:160:3072:1888_1200x675_80_0_0_ba6c09a0e94bf3c0649e7deb71e95247.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009081080395664-three-members-of-belarus-opposition-council-cross-border-with-ukraine—border-committee/ MINSK (Sputnik) – Maria Kolesnikova, a member of the Belarusian opposition coordination council’s presidium, and two more members of the council, Ivan Kravtsov and Anton Rodnenkov, crossed the border with Ukraine on Tuesday morning, a spokesman for the Belarusian State Border Committee said. “The three of them implemented needed procedures at the Aleksandrovka checkpoint at the border with Ukraine, after that they departed in the direction of Ukraine,” Anton Bychkovsky said. On Monday, Kolesnikova’s family filed a missing person report with the police after her disappearance. On Monday afternoon, the opposition coordination council published […]
Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova attends a rally in Minsk on Sunday to protest the disputed results of the August 9 presidential election. tut.by/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption tut.by/AFP via Getty Images Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova attends a rally in Minsk on Sunday to protest the disputed results of the August 9 presidential election. tut.by/AFP via Getty Images Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova was abducted by masked men and hauled away in a van Monday morning while walking in the capital Minsk, according to local media reports citing eyewitnesses. Kolesnikova’s phone has gone unresponsive. Her family has […]
MOSCOW—Men in civilian clothes with masks covering their faces grabbed the woman inspiring a revolution in Belarus on Monday. They pushed Maria Kolesnikova into a minivan at about 10am local time (3am ET)—the opposition leader hasn’t been seen since. Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’ brutal leader for the past 26 years, has been cracking down on protests and threatening to arrest members of the opposition Coordination Council for an alleged “attempt to seize power,” but this is not simply a case of heavy-handed policing. It was a classic abduction, a technique of repression favored by the likes of the KGB and its Russian […]
Huge crowds of anti-government protesters have gathered in central Minsk, as mass rallies continue across Belarus in the aftermath of public outrage at the recent presidential election result, which is contested. A large crowd of protesters gathered on Sunday afternoon in central Minsk next to a war memorial and headed towards the presidential palace. The protesters are demanding that the country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, step down, accusing him of grossly falsifying the August 9 election results as well as of brutally suppressing the ensuing civil unrest. Участники акции протеста «Марш единства» идут мимо стелы «Минск — город герой» к резиденции Лукашенко. […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo-itemprop.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009051080371329-un-could-send-monitoring-team-to-belarus-at-countrys-request—source/ UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – A United Nations monitoring mission could be dispatched to Belarus at the request of the country’s authorities or by obtaining a mandate from the organization’s appropriate legislative body, a senior UN official told Sputnik. “As a matter of course, the dispatching of monitors would have to come at the request of the country in question or, alternatively, with a mandate from the appropriate UN legislative body”, the source said on Friday. Earlier on Friday, former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called on the United Nations to deploy a monitoring mission […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The European Union is still underway with finalizing the scope of sanctions and the individuals to which they will apply over the situation in Belarus, European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said on Friday following reports that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko might not end up on the list. “The member states are discussing the final list of those who will be sanctioned, so the scope, extent and those who would be sanctioned are subject of ongoing discussions,” Stano told a briefing when asked to comment on whether Lukashenko should be expected to be on the list. The spokesman did […]
Anti-government protesters hold a sign with a picture depicting Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as a card that trumps an ace on Aug. 23 in Minsk. Misha Friedman/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Misha Friedman/Getty Images Anti-government protesters hold a sign with a picture depicting Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as a card that trumps an ace on Aug. 23 in Minsk. Misha Friedman/Getty Images Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the unlikely challenger to Belarus’ five-term president, takes issue with being called an opposition leader. “OK, first of all, if you don’t mind, would you please not call us ‘opposition’? Because we are not […]
Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters are gathering in central Minsk for a new rally a day after a protest march resulted in scuffles with the police. Law enforcement is maintaining a heavy presence in the city. Crowds of protesters flocked to a spot near a war memorial in the Belarusian capital, gearing for a third massive Sunday rally in a row. They are demanding the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko, who stands accused of rigging a recent election and of brutalizing members of the opposition. Similar events on two previous weekends attracted an estimated 100,000 participants each. Meanwhile, police armored […]
Protesters have taken to the streets of Minsk for another day of protests, marching towards the residence of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. The Belarusian president’s Press Secretary Natalya Eismont, when asked about the whereabouts of Alexander Lukashenko and whether he was following the situation in Minsk, shared a photo of him with an assault rifle in front of the Palace of Independence. Media reports have emerged suggesting the photo circulating on social media platforms could have been taken days before the Sunday protests. The statement comes after armoured personnel carriers approached a police cordon outside the residence of Lukashenko […]
Russia is closely following events in Belarus, gripped by post-election protests, but while doing so it’s shown much more prudence than the West, President Vladimir Putin said, firing back at the claims of Moscow’s meddling. “We believe this is, first and foremost, an internal matter of the Belarusian society and the people of Belarus,” Putin told the ‘Rossiya 1’ channel in an interview aired on Saturday, speaking about mass protests in Belarus that have rumbled on weeks after a landslide victory of incumbent Alexander Lukashenko in the August 9 presidential elections prompted accusations of electoral fraud from the opposition. Also on […]
The Belarusian foreign ministry has withdrawn accreditation from journalists from certain foreign media, a decision which the country’s law enforcement agencies have justified on the basis of ‘countering extremism.’ Journalists from Western media organizations, such as Reuters and Associated Press, along with state media outlets AFP, BBC, Deutsche Welle and RFE/RL, have been stripped of their right to report, meaning that they could be arrested if caught performing their duties. The majority of these reporters are Belarusian citizens. In response, British state broadcaster BBC called the move a “stifling of independent journalism,” which it condemned “in the strongest possible terms.” READ […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1d/1080311594_0:225:2927:1871_1200x675_80_0_0_13ddae00c47071b0d307cb1ad7e0b4a6.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/russia/202008291080311630-putin-says-russia-recognises-legitimacy-of-presidential-election-in-belarus/ PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY (Sputnik) – Russia recognises the legitimacy of the 9 August presidential election in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday in an interview with the Rossiya 1 television channel. “The Belarusian authorities have invited the OSCE ODIHR [Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] to take part in monitoring the elections. Why did it not come? This immediately makes us think that, in fact, a position on the results of these elections had already been formulated. Therefore, someone may doubt the results, but I have every reason to doubt that those who doubt […]
People protest at the Independence Square in Minsk on Thursday. Sergei Grits/AP hide caption toggle caption Sergei Grits/AP People protest at the Independence Square in Minsk on Thursday. Sergei Grits/AP Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko appears to be regaining the upper hand after mass demonstrations against his reelection in an Aug. 9 vote criticized as neither free nor fair by the U.S. and the European Union. For opposition supporters, a sense of dread is replacing the euphoria of some of the largest protests in Belarus since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. “The government is now tightening the screws very […]
Belarus: NATO Lobby Acknowledges That Its Color Revolution Failed August 28, 2020 Belarus: NATO Lobby Acknowledges That Its Color Revolution Failed2020-08-282020-08-28https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/belarus2-e1598634572191.jpg200px200px Above photo: People gather on Independence Square in Minsk on August 22. Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko. On August 15 we explained why the color revolution in Belarus would fail. Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko had offered President Vladimir Putin of Russia to finally implement the long delayed Union State that will unite Belarus with Russia. In exchange he wanted full Russian backing for shutting down the U.S. led color revolution against him. Putin accepted the deal. In consequence: Lukashenko, and his police, will not hang […]
KIEV (Sputnik) – Kiev does not see any reasons to fully break off diplomatic relations with Minsk despite a recent suspension of contacts, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday. “There are no grounds for a diplomatic rupture at the moment, so we are definitely not planning to do this”, Kuleba said, as streamed by the ministry on its Facebook page. On Thursday, Kuleba said that Kiev had paused all meetings with Minsk, but would resume contacts once it was sure that it would not cause any reputational losses to Ukraine. © Sputnik / Victor Tolochko Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gestures […]
Their arrest came as a surprise. Was Russia really using mercenary soldiers to overthrow the leader of its closest ally? Everyone knew relations between Moscow and Alexander Lukashenko were strained, but this seemed extreme. That was the claim originally made when 33 members of the ‘Wagner’ Private Security Company were detained by the KGB in Belarus. State news agency Belta alleged that law enforcement sources said they’d received information about the arrival of more than 200 Russian militants on Belarusian territory to destabilize the situation during the country’s fraught election campaign. But Russian President Vladimir Putin says it was all a […]
In his interview, the president addressed a number of issues that have emerged or developed both within and outside the country over the last couple of months. Russian President Vladimir Putin touched upon a variety of issues in a big interview with the broadcaster Rossiya 24, ranging from the coronavirus pandemic and a possible second wave of the virus, the country’s economy, a new vaccine against COVID-19, and protests in Belarus. Here are the key issues the president addressed during this interview: Situation in Belarus President Putin said that Russia is following the unfolding events in Belarus and expressed hope that […]
Vladimir Putin says he has formed a reserve of law enforcement officers to send to Belarus to help president Alexander Lukashenko if necessary, Russian media reported on Thursday. Putin said he will not deploy these forces unless “extremist elements in Belarus cross a line and start plundering.” Speaking to the state-run Rossia 1 broadcaster, he said the law enforcement agents would be on standby in case pro-democracy protests strengthened. “We’ve agreed that [the reserve] will not be used until the situation starts getting out of control,” Putin said, according to The Moscow Times. Earlier in the week, Russian media reported that […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080291225_0:314:3024:2015_1200x675_80_0_0_ec35bb3e2b019d5e5619b80ac810afdb.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202008271080291522-lukashenko-claims-3mln-people-attended-protests-in-his-support-across-belarus/ MINSK (Sputnik) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday the number of his supporters who had taken to the streets across the country amid the post-election unrest was around 3 million people, which he describes as a “great force.” “The rallies in support of peace, tranquillity and the incumbent president have already been attended by about 3 million people. This a great force – 3 million people,” Lukashenko told Belarus’ state news agency Belta. According to the Belarusian president, his supporters are “calmer” and include “veterans, retired people and professionals.” “That is how […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A group of at least 30 armed people allegedly affiliated with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord has attacked the Libyan embassy in the Belarusian capital of Minsk in the early hours of Thursday, Libyan Charge d’Affairs Mohammed Astete told Sputnik. “We were attacked by a group of around 30 people affiliated with the Libyan Government of National Accord”, Astete said. The embassy has pictures that prove this information, he noted, adding that he was personally assaulted. As of now, the diplomatic staff is inside the building, while the attackers still remain on the embassy’s territory. “We have […]
Might Belarus Become The Next Syria? August 26, 2020 Might Belarus Become The Next Syria?2020-08-262020-08-26https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/lukashenko-on-helicopter-arriving-with-weapon-in-hand.-his-15-year-old-son-arrived-with-him.-from-rt.png200px200px Above photo: Lukashenko on a helicopter and arriving with an assault weapon in hand with his 15-year-old son, Nikolay. From Russia Today. Okay, I admit it, the title is rather hyperbolic 🙂 But here is what I am trying to say: there are signs that Russia is intervening in the Belarusian crisis (finally!) First and foremost, we can see a truly radical change in Lukashenko’s policies: if his initial instinct was to unleash brutal repression of both the violent rioters and the peaceful demonstrators, now he […]
Many assumed despite playing a prominent role in Belarus’ opposition, Svetlana Alexievich’s fame made her somewhat ‘untouchable.’ Nevertheless, the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature winner was summoned for questioning on Wednesday. The Belarusian Investigative Committee wanted to ‘discuss’ the case it has opened against the country’s opposition for allegedly making “calls to seize state power.” The writer, who sits on the movement’s ‘Coordination Council’, arrived at the committee’s building accompanied by other council presidium members Pavel Latushko, Maxim Znak and Maria Kolesnikova. After the meeting ended, Alexievich told journalists that the movement is not strong enough to resolve its political dispute with […]
Former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has rejected claims that the opposition wants to close the frontier with Russia, rubbishing the idea that the country wishes to turn away from its eastern neighbor. “People are saying that we want to shut down the borders with Russia,” she told Polish news portal Onet. “This is nonsense.” Tikhanovskaya also refused to discuss any Russia-specific policies, noting that all decisions would be made by a future elected president. Despite encouragement from the West to turn against their long-time partner, opposition figures inside Belarus have clearly stated that the country will not be dictated to […]
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ex-Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said in an interview with Fox News that US Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Biegun had vowed to help Belarus’ opposition. Biegun “assured me that he, as a person, and the American people, will do their best to support us and to help us in this situation,” Tikhanovskaya said commenting on a meeting with Biegun. She called their conversation “wonderful and kind.” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said in an interview that no one should interfere in the situation in Belarus. “Our people want to live in a democratic country,” Tikhanovskaya said. “No one country should […]
Belarus Opposition Candidate Revealed As Western Regime Change Puppet By Steve Topple, Peace Data. August 25, 2020 Belarus Opposition Candidate Revealed As Western Regime Change Puppet2020-08-252020-08-25https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/st-e1598397061790.jpg200px200px Above photo: Svetlana Tikhanovskayas (center). AP. Belarus’s political and social landscape grows more complex and precarious as time passes, with the aftermath of the recent election still unfolding. But what has already become apparent is that in this game of political chess, the people will not be winners. Because now-deleted webpages reveal opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya may be little more than a Western regime change puppet. And the end result will offer no solutions for […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko greet a group of World War II veterans in the Russian village of Khoroshevo on June 30. Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP hide caption toggle caption Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko greet a group of World War II veterans in the Russian village of Khoroshevo on June 30. Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP As he faces the biggest domestic challenge to his 26-year rule, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is looking for external enemies to blame — and […]
A wave of anti-government protests swept Belarus following the presidential election, in which incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth consecutive term, gaining over 80 percent of the vote, according to official data. Unauthorised mass rallies against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko continue in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. The demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Lukashenko and the release of detained protesters and political prisoners. A wave of anti-government protests swept Belarus following the presidential election, in which incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth consecutive term, gaining over 80 percent of the vote. The country’s opposition refused to recognise the […]
Belarus’ Defense Ministry has confirmed on Monday that Republic and Russia signed an accord for Moscow to supply Minsk with advanced air defense systems. “A plan of interaction with Almaz-Antey Group for 2021-2025 has been signed for the deliveries of advanced air defense systems through 2025,” the republic’s Defense Ministry said on 24 August. The document was signed at the Army-2020 international military and technical forum in Russia. Also at the forum, Belarus’ top brass signed a contract on two battalion sets of BTR-82A armored personnel carriers produced by the Arzamas Machine-Building Factory and a contact on receiving the first batch […]
From the age of 5, he has rubbed shoulders with the most feted and feared world leaders, from the Obamas and two successive popes to Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin. By 7 he had been gifted a handgun made of gold by Dmitry Medvedev, who was Russia’s president at the time. This week, Nikolay Lukashenko, the youngest son of the “last dictator in Europe,” came of age during the worst period of his father’s reign. With 100,000 protesters demanding Alexander Lukashenko’s resignation and free and fair elections in Minsk, the 15-year-old flew over the crowds in a helicopter, all dressed up […]
The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus announced on 24 August that Armed Forces will receive a batch of modern BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers from Russia. The Belarusian Armed Forces have signed agreements with the Russian Military-Industrial Company (VPK) to deliver BTR-82As, the republic’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday. The document was signed at the Army-2020 international military and technical forum in Russia. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – The BTR-82A is an advanced variant of Soviet-designed BTR-80 with an upgraded protection system that increases its survivability. The BTR-82A is also equipped with an improved fire extinguishing system […]
Lithuania suspects a Belarus Mi-24 attack helicopter (NATO code name Hind) entered its airspace on Sunday afternoon without permission, the Belsat news agency reported. The head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Vilnius, Valery Baranouski, received a protest note today. The reason is the violation of the state border by the Belarusian military helicopter, according to Belsat. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vilnius stated in the note that the Belarusian Mi-24 breached Lithuanian airspace yesterday at 18:50 in the vicinity of the village of Miedniki (Medininkai). The Lithuanian side called on the authorities in Minsk to clarify the circumstances of […]
Anti-government protests have continued in Belarus for more than two weeks now, with demonstrators taking to the streets to express their anger over the results of the August 9 presidential election in the republic which they believe was rigged in favour of Lukashenko. The West has been seeking to remake Belarus in its own design, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday. Moscow will welcome any kind of dialogue President Lukashenko offers the opposition, Lavrov added. The people of Belarus will find a way out of the crisis on their own, they don’t need any mediators, the minister said. According […]
The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant has announced that it developed a new light armored vehicle, called that VOLAT MZKT-490101. The new light-armored vehicle intended for the carriage of personnel and special weapon complexes. MZKT-490101, with the wheel drive 4×4, strengthened frame and platform for operation in the conditions of cross-country and off-roads, has a platform length 5700 mm and carrying capacity is 1800 kg. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – The new light armoured vehicle is powered by a 6-liter Doosan DL06 engine (Korea) and 6-speed automatic hydromechanical transmission Allison (USA). The engine provides an output power of 215hp at […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/10/1080186420_0:0:3037:1709_1200x675_80_0_0_602373b21c4275c6c1b80959bd0c501d.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202008221080248949-belarus-will-react-without-warning-to-attempts-aimed-at-violating-its-border-lukashenko-says-/ Earlier in the day, Lukashenko said that putting the army on combat alert and deploying troops on Belarus’ western borders was his main decision in 25 years. Belarus will react without warning to any attempt to trespass its border, President Alexander Lukashenko said when responding to a report by the country’s Defence Ministry about an increased number of aircraft spotted close to the country’s borders. “Without warning! If they trespass the border, react without warning!” Lukashenko said during his visit to a military training ground in Grodno on Saturday. Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin […]
President Alexander Lukashenko has likened recent events in Belarus to color revolutions, saying protesters are trying to follow a similar, foreign-backed template to overthrow the government. “Everything is clear. As we expected, everything is following the plan of color revolutions by whipping up domestic political tensions in the country,” Lukashenko said. The embattled leader, who has headed Belarus for 26 years, also accused foreign countries of interfering with its internal affairs and of seeking “regime change.” ‘Color Revolution’ is a term used to describe anti-government movements throughout the world, particularly in the former Eastern Bloc. Upheavals in countries like Armenia, Georgia, […]
Belarus’ Armed Forces have been put on full combat alert by the decision of President Alexander Lukashenko, the press service of Ministry of Defense of the Republic reported on Saturday. For the fir time, the country puts its military on high alert since the Cold War era. President Lukashenko had earlier instructed his defense minister, Viktor Khrenin, to place Belarus’s military in a state of high alert. Lukashenko, facing mass protests, deployed the military to the country’s borders with the European Union and ordered major military exercises as concerns about “unspecified” security threats. He also has called on the defense ministry’s […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo-itemprop.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202008221080245952-lukashenko-says-deployment-of-troops-on-belarus-western-borders-was-his-main-decision-in-25-years/ Earlier in the day, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko instructed the country’s military command to take “the most stringent measures” to protect the territorial integrity in light of mass anti-government protests. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Saturday that putting the army on combat alert and deploying troops on the country’s western borders was his main decision in 25 years. The statement was made after Lukashenko arrived at a military training area near the western Belarusian city of Grodno earlier in the day for an inspection ahead of planned military drills. He earlier warned of the […]
Top: Protesters at the Great Patriotic War Museum in Minsk on Monday. Daily demonstrations have taken place in the capital and beyond after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in the Aug. 9 election. Left: An opposition supporter with a drawing of Belarus’ former white-red-white flag in Minsk on Monday. Right: Opposition supporters at Independence Square in Minsk on Wednesday. Getty Images; Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images; Dmitri Lovetsky/AP hide caption toggle caption Getty Images; Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images; Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Top: Protesters at the Great Patriotic War Museum in Minsk on Monday. Daily demonstrations have taken place in the capital […]
Belarus: This Color Revolution Is Already Dead August 20, 2020 Belarus: This Color Revolution Is Already Dead2020-08-202020-08-20https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/ef4szxwwoae-gy3-e1597950465476.jpg200px200px Above photo: Demonstrators in support of the government. Twitter. NOTE: There is no question that the United States is intervening in Belarus and that it is designed to antagonize Russia by gaining more access to its border for NATO. There is also no question that there are problems in Belarus and legitimate reasons for people to protest. This article from Socialist Project describes some of the concerns of Belarusians – weakening of the social safety net and a turn toward neoliberalism. The United States is […]
Lithuania has apparently decided not to wait for its European partners, which are still deliberating over their collective response to the protests in Belarus, and has imposed an entry ban against President Alexander Lukashenko. Seemingly deciding to set an example to the rest of Europe, Vilnius raced to compile a blacklist of Belarusian officials in response to the ongoing protests in the neighboring nation, issuing it before the European Union had come up with a list of its own. The move was announced by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, who said his country welcomed the EU’s “determination” in taking action against […]
Open Letter To The Protesters In Belarus By Armin Fischer, Coop TV. August 19, 2020 Open Letter To The Protesters In Belarus2020-08-192020-08-18https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/pompeo.jpg200px200px Above photo: Alexander Lukashenko and Mike Pompeo in Minsk. Image: state.gov. NOTE: Eugen Hardt points out that the same template as the US-backed coup in Ukraine is being used in Belarus: “Our values” – the program of the “Belarusian opposition” Shortly before the Belarusian elections, the following translated program of the “Belarusian opposition” was published as a result of the joint work of a number of political organizations. Political parties such as the Belarusian Popular Front, the Belarusian Green Party, the Belarusian […]
Protesters gather in front of the Minsk Tractor Works Plant to support workers leaving the plant after their work shift in Minsk, Belarus, on Wednesday. Dmitri Lovetsky/AP hide caption toggle caption Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Protesters gather in front of the Minsk Tractor Works Plant to support workers leaving the plant after their work shift in Minsk, Belarus, on Wednesday. Dmitri Lovetsky/AP The European Union on Wednesday said it does not recognize the results of Belarus’ Aug. 9 presidential election, calling the poll fraudulent as it promised to sanction individuals responsible for the violence that has followed. “These elections were neither free nor […]
U.S., Fascists Set Scopes On Socialist-Leaning Belarus By Otis Grotewohl, Workers World. August 18, 2020 U.S., Fascists Set Scopes On Socialist-Leaning Belarus2020-08-182020-08-18https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/ussr-era-socialist-art-in-minsk-belarus-in-february-2019.-e1597766601955.jpeg200px200px Above photo: USSR-era socialist art in Minsk, Belarus, in February 2019. Chinese President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on his reelection Aug. 9. U.S. imperialism and the Western bourgeois media, however, wasted no time in denouncing Lukashenko’s victory as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used saber-rattling language against Belarus by claiming the election was not “free and fair.” (Reuters, Aug. 10) Since the mid-1990s, U.S. imperialism has targeted the Belarus government, which has had […]
On Tuesday, embattled Belarus’ president Alexander Lukashenko said that he had ordered the deployment of troops on the country’s western border in full combat readiness. In a televised meeting, Lukashenko said the units were on full alert and ready to fulfil their obligations. According to Lukashenko, Belarus had deployed armed units on its western borders with Poland and Lithuania in response to statements by foreign governments about the situation inside the country. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – Lukashenko claimed Sunday that NATO forces were 15 minutes from Belarus’ western borders with Poland and Lithuania. “NATO troops are at our gates. […]
…from southfront.org The protests in Belarus are continuing, now for over a week, following the elections won (the opposition says ‘no’) by President Alexander Lukashenko. The protesters are exploiting the general dissatisfaction with the government, and the direction the country has been going for a while, and then Lukashenko government has its obvious faults that have led to discontent brewing. At the same time, the Lukashenko government still remains the only constructive political power in Belarus. What’s noteworthy, however, is the high level of organization behind the protests that makes it exquisitely dubious for them to be “accidental”. One of the […]
Striking workers participate in anti-government protests on Monday in Minsk, Belarus. Misha Friedman/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Misha Friedman/Getty Images Striking workers participate in anti-government protests on Monday in Minsk, Belarus. Misha Friedman/Getty Images The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, vowed Monday to cling tightly to power as many factory workers walked off their jobs and joined with hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters demanding his immediate resignation. Lukashenko, who had flown by helicopter to a factory in Minsk in hopes of rallying support, was instead met with chants of “Leave!” Speaking to workers, he vowed to “never cave in […]
The Belarus’ Army has begun deploying heavy artillery systems, main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other equipment to the Lida region, close to the Lithuanian border. Moreover, several residents have released on social media images showed the latest Belarusian multiple launch rocket systems in the Lida region. The Polonez is a long-range missile system designed to destroy openly located and concealed manpower, unarmored and armored military equipment, artillery, rocket and anti-aircraft missile systems, aviation equipment at home-based airfields and other objects at a range from 50 km to 300 km with high accuracy. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – […]
This doesn’t sound like a man who’s going to go quietly. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned protesters Monday that he will not give in to their demands for a new presidential election—unless they assassinate him. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital city of Minsk over the weekend to protest against the disputed elections held earlier this month. Protesters have been infuriated by alleged poll-rigging and police violence at the ensuing protests, but Lukashenko has defied any suggestion that the vote could be re-run. “We held elections already. Until you kill me, there will be no other elections,” he […]
Russia has begun to unfold the final stages of his plan of hybrid intervention into Belarus is likely imminent. Numerous witnesses have spotted large columns of unmarked trucks with Putin’s so-called “little green men” en route from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Belarus. The columns included large unmarked “Kamaz” and “Ural” type trucks and buses identical to the Russian National Guard and riot police transport vehicles. A witness counted 30 trucks in the St. Petersburg convoy, suggesting 600 personnel in unmarked uniforms and a little more in the Moscov convoy. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – “Day 9 of the […]
Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has said she is ready and willing to be the interim leader of Belarus if the country holds new elections, amid growing political turmoil in the country. Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania last week, said in a video message that she was prepared to take the reins in Minsk should the nation void President Alexander Lukashenko’s election victory and return to the voting booth. “I am ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during this period,” Tikhanovskaya said, adding that opposition activists, who have been protesting for a week, should continue to push for […]
Protesters gather near the Minsk Hero City Obelisk in Belarus on Aug. 16 to protest the results of last week’s presidential election, which are widely seen as fraudulent. Valery Sharifulin/Valery Sharifulin/TASS hide caption toggle caption Valery Sharifulin/Valery Sharifulin/TASS Protesters gather near the Minsk Hero City Obelisk in Belarus on Aug. 16 to protest the results of last week’s presidential election, which are widely seen as fraudulent. Valery Sharifulin/Valery Sharifulin/TASS Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday in what appeared to be their largest demonstration yet against the widely-disputed reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, who […]
A protester who was killed in unclear circumstances during clashes with police in Belarus, might have been hit by a non-lethal round, the country’s interior minister claimed, urging the public to wait for investigation results. Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old demonstrator who was killed during protests in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk on Monday, might have come under fire from non-lethal weaponry, Interior Minister Yuri Karaev said on Sunday. “Maybe he was shot with non-lethal weapons. I don’t know yet, I’m not an investigator,” Karaev told local media before diverting attention to months-long protests and unrest in the United States. He […]
CSKA Moscow striker Ilya Shkurin has made a stand against the disputed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, saying he will refuse to play for his country until he steps down from power. Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus for 26 years, has sparked week-long street protests over a disputed election result that protesters say was rigged in his favor. He has also rejected calls for the election to be re-run, referencing official results that gave him around 80% of the vote. CSKA striker Shkurin has made a protest of his own, stating he will not represent Belarus on the international stage until […]
Belarus: Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script August 16, 2020 Belarus: Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script2020-08-162020-08-15https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/cj.jpg200px200px Above photo: Getty Images / Vertigo3d. The Western establishment narrative managers always follow the same patterns. Just like they fixated on Hong Kong protests, while ignoring those in US-aligned France or Israel, now they’re cheering on protests in Belarus. Imperialist pundit and Obama administration Cold Warrior Michael McFaul recently tweeted the following: “Belarusians, inside and outside of the country, have reached out to me this week to ask why the West is so indifferent to their courageous fight for democracy. I can’t explain. Can you?” […]
Belarus is deploying paratroopers and Special Operations Forces to Grodno, close to the border with Poland and Lithuania. Charging that Europian countries were responsible for escalations of the dangerous situation in the border regions, President Alexander Lukashenko ordered to send paratroopers from Vitebsk to Grodno, the state news agency Belta reported. “What’s happening in these territories [in the west], we cant calmly watch this. Our military is also worried about this problem. Therefore, I will ask additionally, since the tense situation on the western border, to transfer the airborne brigade from Vitebsk to Grodno,” Lukashenko told Belarus’ television on 15 August. […]
Videos posted online show the chilling moment a young protester falls to the ground during clashes with police in Belarus. His death has sparked outrage across the country grappling with post-election protests. A clip first released by AP shows police officers in full riot gear lined up on the street. A man in a bloodied white T-shirt, who was believed to be Taraikovsky, collapses on the ground. WARNING: DISTURBING VIDEO Videos filmed from other angles and published in local media show the same man approaching the officers with his hands up in the air. He then falls to the ground after […]
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said an air assault brigade will be moved to the country’s border, amid massive anti-government protests that the leader has dubbed a “color revolution” directed by foreign agents. Speaking to state media on Saturday, Lukashenko said he was “worried” that NATO was carrying out military exercises in Poland and Lithuania, regarding it as an arms build-up on Belarus’ borders. The president said that Belarus “cannot calmly observe this” and do nothing, adding that he has ordered the transfer of an airborne brigade from Vitebsk to Grodno. Lukashenko also slammed foreign countries which he said were attempting […]
Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus leader who claims to have won a disputed presidential election, said on Saturday that Vladimir Putin had promised him to help securing safety of Belarus if needed, the state news agency Belta reported. “As far as military matters are concerned, we have an agreement with Russia within the framework of the Union State and the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]. . . that covers these incidents,” Mr Lukashenko said on Saturday after speaking to Putin, according to state news agency Belta. The phone call came after Lukashenko said he needed to contact Moscow over growing protests against his rule. – […]
Prominent Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky has compared Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to an unwanted girl looking for someone to marry, claiming that he is courting Russia, Poland, the EU, and the US. Zhirinovsky, the leader of Russia’s right-wing LDPR, explained that Lukashenko is in a “difficult situation,” like “a girl of marriageable age” who is entirely undesired. Belarus is currently in a state of turmoil following the presidential election on August 9, which resulted in a landslide victory for Lukashenko. The vote is widely regarded both in Belarus and abroad as being neither free nor fair. Since the election results were […]
Mass anti-government protests in Belarus are actually a “color revolution” in action, and Russia may be the next target if the country fails to halt its progress, President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed. Lukashenko, whose reelection for a sixth term last Sunday sparked mass protests over an alleged rigging of the vote, believes his detractors are unwitting agents of foreign puppeteers and need to be stopped. “Don’t you lull us with [talk about] peaceful action and demonstrations. We can see what is happening deep down,” the Belarus leader said on Saturday at a government meeting, as cited by local media. We have […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/0f/1080177551_0:0:3092:1740_1200x675_80_0_0_903bc1075ea7f359a45dfb98184dc20f.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202008151080177627-lukashenko-says-seeking-to-discuss-current-situation-in-belarus-with-putin/ MINSK (Sputnik) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on Saturday that he was seeking to discuss the current situation in Belarus with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The aggression against Belarus is going in line with a scenario. I need to contact Putin urgently, because this threat is relevant not only for Belarus”, Lukashenko said as quoted by Belta. According to the Belarus leader, those who encourage people to take to the streets are “sometimes working professionally,” using fake news and fake footage of the events. On Sunday, Belarus held the presidential election. According to […]
A fortnight after their arrest raised eyebrows, and ignoring Ukrainian attempts to extradite most of them, the authorities in Belarus have released 32 Russian citizens they accused of attempting to undermine state security. The KGB claimed the men were fighters from the Wagner private military contractor company who arrived in the country to prepare for mass riots. Moscow said the 33 detainees – one is a Belarussian citizen and hasn’t been transferred to Russia – were indeed security personnel, but Minsk was only the transit point to their final destination. Russia had closed almost all international air routes from late March […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/0b/1080133160_0:2:2355:1326_1200x675_80_0_0_7ed2f42adb77c69c47dde1e4855cc66e.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/russia/202008111080132766-foreign-minister-lavrov-urges-to-release-russian-journalists-detained-in-belarus/ Multiple journalists from various media outlets, including Sputnik Belarus correspondent Evgeny Oleinik, were detained by the police during the weekend amid mass protests in Minsk following the presidential election. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on Minsk to release Russian journalists who were detained by Belarusian authorities amid the mass demonstrations. During a press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Lavrov stressed that Moscow would be striving to resolve the situation in the most humane way possible. © REUTERS / VASILY FEDOSENKO People attend a rally following the presidential election in Minsk, […]