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A conversation with leader of the democratic opposition in Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

What can officials in the United States do to support the democratic movement in Belarus in the face of continuing repression and state terror from Lukashenka’s regime? Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the democratic opposition in Belarus, joins live from the Atlantic Council to discuss.

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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?

The 5×5—Russia’s cyber statecraft

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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The 5×5—Russia’s cyber statecraft

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
The 5×5—Russia’s cyber statecraft

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

Content

The 5×5

Mar 21, 2022

The 5×5—Russia’s cyber statecraft

By Simon Handler

Five experts share their perspectives on what recent cyber developments related to Russia's war in Ukraine indicate about Russian cyber behavior.

Belarus Conflict
Servicemen of the military forces of South Ossetia attend an oath of allegiance ceremony in Tskhinvali, the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, Georgia, July 5, 2015.

New Atlanticist

Mar 18, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia sends military contractors from Georgian breakaway region to Ukraine

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Military contractors from South Ossetia, Belarus' hesitancy to send troops, VPN's, the dilemma US tech companies face over Russian citizens' access, and more.

Belarus China

BelarusAlert

Mar 16, 2022

Ukrainian military successes force Belarus to rethink role in Putin’s war

By Brian Whitmore

The fierce Ukrainian resistance to Russia's invasion is getting inside the heads of Belarusian military leaders and causing them to question the wisdom of joining Vladimir Putin's war.

Belarus Conflict
A deepfake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that aired on a hacked Ukrainian 24 newscast.

New Atlanticist

Mar 16, 2022

Russian War Report: Hacked news program and deepfake video spread false Zelenskyy claims

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

A deep fake of President Zelenskyy, Russia threatens to block YouTube, and an information fog surrounding the Russian TV journalist who conducted on-air protest.

Belarus Conflict
A satellite image shows ground forces equipment and a convoy, in Khilchikha, Belarus February 28, 2022. Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

New Atlanticist

Mar 14, 2022

Russian War Report: Russian false-flag operation seeks to drag Belarus into Ukraine war

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Ukrainian media reported that Russia attacked a Belarusian village from Ukrainian airspace in an attempt to make it appear that Ukraine had attacked Belarus and provoke Belarusian President Lukashenka to move troops into Ukraine. 

Belarus Conflict

New Atlanticist

Mar 11, 2022

Russian War Report: Putin endorses plan to bring 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East to fight in Ukraine

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russia’s Defense Minister announced that more than 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East had expressed interest in joining Russia’s “liberation movement” for the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Belarus Conflict
PRIPYAT, UKRAINE – FEBRUARY, 2022: Pictured in this video screen grab is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Russian Airborne troops and the Ukrainian National Guard are providing security at the nuclear power plant. An agreement has been reached with servicemen of a separate battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine to jointly provide security at the units, the confinement and the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant staff continue to monitor the radiation levels and work at the nuclear power plant as normal. Video grab. Best possible quality. Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

New Atlanticist

Mar 9, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia escalates nuclear and chemical false-flag allegations

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

On March 9, Russia escalated their claims that Ukraine intended to use nuclear or biological weapons against Russia and that capturing nuclear power plants were to "prevent" such attempts.

Belarus Conflict

BelarusAlert

Mar 9, 2022

Belarusian military reluctant to join Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine War

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus was widely expected to join the Russian invasion of Ukraine but indications are growing that the Belarusian military is strongly opposed to any involvement in Vladimir Putin's war of aggression.

Belarus Conflict
Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

New Atlanticist

Mar 7, 2022

Russian War Report: Kremlin recycles old narratives to claim Ukraine is constructing dirty bombs and bioweapons

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

In a further attempt to justify its invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin once again accused Ukraine of provoking Russia by developing dirty bombs and biological weapons.

Belarus Conflict

EconoGraphics

Mar 7, 2022

Global Sanctions Dashboard: Special Russia edition

By Julia Friedlander, Maia Nikoladze, Charles Lichfield, Ananya Kumar and Castellum.AI

Sanctioning Russian Central Bank, cutting Russia off SWIFT, and Russia’s options for sanction-proofing its economy.

Belarus Conflict
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Experts

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation

Fellow

Michael Carpenter

Distinguished Fellow

Eurasia Center Europe Center

Eastern Europe National Security
Melinda Haring

Fellow

Melinda Haring

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Civil Society

Staff

John E. Herbst

Senior Director

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Politics & Diplomacy

Staff

Daniel Hojnacki

Assistant Editor

Belarus Central Asia

Fellow

Adrian Karatnycky

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Democratic Transitions
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