EDITOR’S PICKS

Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

BelarusAlert May 10, 2022

Belarus has good reason for concern over Putin’s nuclear intimidation

By Steven Pifer

Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could go nuclear. If Vladmir Putin deploys nuclear weapons there is reason to believe that Belarus itself would soon be in the firing line.
Belarus Conflict
Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

BelarusAlert May 31, 2022

From White Russia to Belarus: Norway snubs Kremlin with name change

By Peter Dickinson

Norway has announced that it will now use the name “Belarus” instead of “Hviterussland” (literally “White Russia”) in a move reflecting growing awareness that Belarus should not be viewed through a Russian lens.
Belarus Democratic Transitions
Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

BelarusAlert May 17, 2022

Putin’s only friend: Belarus is Russia’s last remaining post-Soviet ally

By Brian Whitmore

The recent CSTO summit in Moscow highlighted Russia’s lack of support even within the former Soviet region while underlining Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s status as Vladimir Putin’s last remaining ally.
Belarus Central Asia

LATEST ANALYSIS

BelarusAlert

Jul 28, 2021

Concerns mount over Russia-Belarus military exercises

By Brian Whitmore

With the quadrennial Zapad military exercises just six weeks away, Russian troops and military equipment have begun arriving in Belarus, and many in the West are concerned that Putin may seek to exploit the buildup.

Belarus Russia

UkraineAlert

Jul 21, 2021

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Belarus’ future and her place in it

By Doug Klain

“I’m not going to participate in new elections,” Tsikhanouskaya said at the Atlantic Council. Instead, she wants to see a new free and fair election and a self-sustaining democratic movement in Belarus.

Belarus Democratic Transitions

BelarusAlert

Jul 21, 2021

Money wars in Belarus

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is increasing financial pressure of his domestic opponents. Meanwhile, Western sanctions against his regime continue to mount, leaving Belarus more and more dependent on Russia.

Belarus Democratic Transitions

BelarusAlert

Jul 14, 2021

Putin and Lukashenka are locked in a dysfunctional axis of autocrats

By Brian Whitmore

Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka are bound together in an axis of autocrats but the two dictators are also locked in a game of cat and mouse over Kremlin efforts to expand Russian influence in Belarus.

Belarus Economic Sanctions

BelarusAlert

Jul 7, 2021

Lukashenka vs. Europe

By Brian Whitmore

The autocratic regime of Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is intensifying its ongoing cold war against Europe via a series of threats to block trade routes along with ongoing moves to flood the EU with illegal migrants.

Belarus European Union

BelarusAlert

Jun 30, 2021

Belarus dictator weaponizes illegal migrants against EU

By Brian Whitmore

Kremlin-backed Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has recently begun weaponizing migrants in his escalating confrontation with the European Union and neighboring countries Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Belarus Migration

BelarusAlert

Jun 23, 2021

Why Putin dare not abandon Belarus dictator Lukashenka

By Jan Pieklo

Europe’s last two dictators know that if one should fall, the other will find himself in a perilous position. They may not necessarily like it, but Putin and Lukashenka are now locked in an authoritarian alliance.

Belarus Democratic Transitions

BelarusAlert

Jun 22, 2021

Belarus sanctions target dictator’s Russian enablers

By Brian Whitmore

When the US, EU, Canada, and UK announced a new Belarus sanctions this week, one name in particular stood out: Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev.

Belarus Economic Sanctions

BelarusAlert

Jun 16, 2021

Tensions mount between Belarus dictator and Kremlin

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s harsh crackdown on anti-regime protests has made him increasingly dependent on the Kremlin, but could Moscow be preparing to use him as a geopolitical pawn?

Belarus Moldova

BelarusAlert

Jun 9, 2021

Axis of autocrats: Belarus dictator Lukashenka backs Putin’s Ukraine war

By Brian Whitmore

The axis of autocrats in Eastern Europe continues to solidify as Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka bends over backwards to please Moscow by showing his support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Belarus Conflict
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spotlight

Belarus

Belarus’ August 2020 presidential election saw widespread protests and serious fraud allegations as President Lukashenka claimed victory against popular opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Will Belarus begin its transition to democracy, or will Belarusians face further repression as Lukashenka’s rule falters?

Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

UkraineAlert Aug 13, 2024

Belarus’s political prisoners must not be forgotten

New sanctions unveiled in August have highlighted the plight of Belarus’s approximately 1,400 political prisoners, but much more must be done to increase pressure on the Lukashenka regime, writes Hanna Liubakova.

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Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

UkraineAlert Jul 25, 2024

The West should articulate the possibility of a European future for Belarus now

By Richard Cashman

Failure to articulate the possibility of a European future for Belarus leaves the Euro-Atlantic community at risk of being caught off guard without a plan when Belarus reaches its fork in the road, writes Richard Cashman.
Belarus Conflict
Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

UkraineAlert Jul 16, 2024

I was sentenced to ten years in absentia for highlighting Belarus’s descent into dictatorship

By Alesia Rudnik

My recent ten-year sentence in absentia is a sure sign that Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is increasingly insecure and dependent on the Kremlin, writes Alesia Rudnik.
Belarus Civil Society

The views expressed in BelarusAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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BelarusAlert

May 25, 2022

Putin deploys nuclear-capable missiles to Belarusian border with Ukraine

By Brian Whitmore

Alyaksandr Lukashenka warned the West this week that it was risking World War III by continuing to arm Ukraine, even as he allowed Russia to deploy nuclear-capable missiles on Belarusian territory near the Ukrainian border.

Arms Control Belarus

BelarusAlert

May 19, 2022

Belarus dictator targets anti-war saboteurs with death penalty

By Alesia Rudnik

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has introduced amendments to the country's capital punishment legislation that will make it possible to impose death sentences on anti-war saboteurs.

Belarus Civil Society

BelarusAlert

May 17, 2022

Putin’s only friend: Belarus is Russia’s last remaining post-Soviet ally

By Brian Whitmore

The recent CSTO summit in Moscow highlighted Russia's lack of support even within the former Soviet region while underlining Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka's status as Vladimir Putin's last remaining ally.

Belarus Central Asia

BelarusAlert

May 11, 2022

The Belarusian dictator’s dilemma

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka appears to recognize that Vladimir Putin's Ukraine War is going disastrously wrong and is desperate to distance himself but he remains completely dependent on the Kremlin.

Belarus Conflict

BelarusAlert

May 11, 2022

Belarusian volunteers see Ukraine war as stepping stone to a free Belarus

By Alesia Rudnik

The hundreds of Belarusians who are currently fighting for Ukraine believe that defeating Vladimir Putin's invasion is their best chance of liberating Belarus itself and bringing the Lukashenka dictatorship to an end.

Belarus Civil Society

BelarusAlert

May 10, 2022

Belarus has good reason for concern over Putin’s nuclear intimidation

By Steven Pifer

Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has warned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could go nuclear. If Vladmir Putin deploys nuclear weapons there is reason to believe that Belarus itself would soon be in the firing line.

Belarus Conflict

BelarusAlert

May 8, 2022

Belarus dictator: Putin’s Ukraine invasion is not going according to plan

By Peter Dickinson

In a new Associated Press interview, Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has declared that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not going according to plan and should be brought to an end as soon as possible.

Belarus Civil Society

BelarusAlert

May 4, 2022

Putin’s Ukraine War: Desperate Belarus dictator strikes back

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is seeking to introduce the death penalty for anti-war activists who are sabotaging Russian troop movements in protest over Belarus's supporting role in Putin's Ukraine invasion.

Belarus Conflict

BelarusAlert

Apr 27, 2022

Putin’s Ukraine War leaves Lukashenka with nothing but bad options

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has gone against Belarusian public opinion and involved his country directly in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Whoever now wins the war, his position will likely be weakened.

Belarus Conflict

BelarusAlert

Apr 25, 2022

Wily Belarus dictator sees Putin’s war as an opportunity to end his isolation

By Alesia Rudnik

Wily Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is seeking to leverage his reluctant supporting role in Vladimir Putin's Ukraine War in order to revive relations with the Western world and end his international isolation.

Belarus Conflict
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