Belarus

Belarus

Since 1994, Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus without a serious challenger. Then came the August 2020 presidential election, when opposition candidates proved more viable than ever before amid the country’s poor economic performance and mismanaged coronavirus response. Widespread protests and serious fraud allegations have marred Lukashenka’s claimed election victory. The opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has fled the country, raising questions about whether the protest movement will endure and whether Lukashenka will manage to stay in power for his new term. The future of Belarus now hinges on what its people and its strongman do next.

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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?

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

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

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

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

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
A Belarusian soldier of the 11th separate mechanized brigade participates in a previous combat exercise on Feb 16, 2022. (Source: EYEPRESS via Reuters Connect)

New Atlanticist

May 6, 2022

Russian War Report: Belarus launches “combat preparedness test”

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

The Belarusian military began unannounced combat drills, the Kremlin drops the term "denazification," and a Latin American RT influencer resigns.

Belarus Disinformation

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
Plumes of smoke rise after a fire erupts at an oil depot in Bryansk, Russia April 25, 2022 in this still image obtained from social media video. Natalya Krutova via REUTERS

New Atlanticist

Apr 26, 2022

Russian War Report: Geolocating fires in Bryansk

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

On April 25, large fires were reported in Bryansk, Russia, just 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. DFRLab geolocated the fires to confirm an armed forces fuel depot was damaged.

Belarus Disinformation

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

BelarusAlert

Apr 20, 2022

Ukraine reveals Russian military plans for “full-scale invasion of Belarus”

By Brian Whitmore

With Belarusians uneasy over their country's role in Putin's Ukraine War, Moscow may revive earlier plans for the military takeover of Belarus if growing anti-war sentiment threatens to undermine Russian influence.

Belarus Conflict
Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Oleksiy Danilov addresses the media in Kyiv, Ukraine February 23, 2022.

New Atlanticist

Apr 18, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia falsely accuses Ukraine of provoking conflict even after it knew war was coming

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russia has rehashed several old narratives in their continued attempts to justify the war in Ukraine including misrepresented statements from Ukrainian officials.

Belarus Disinformation

BelarusAlert

Apr 13, 2022

Putin’s Ukraine War: Belarus dictator switches from arsonist to firefighter

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is trying to change his role in Vladimir Putin's Ukraine War from that of arsonist to firefighter as Belarusian public opinion firmly opposes any involvement in the conflict.

Belarus Conflict
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Experts

Fellow

Hanna Liubakova

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Belarus Civil Society

Staff

Shelby Magid

Deputy Director

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Human Rights

Fellow

Mercedes Sapuppo

Nonresident Fellow

Eurasia Center

Belarus Civil Society

Fellow

Franak Viačorka

Nonresident Fellow

Eurasia Center

Belarus Civil Society

Fellow

Brian Whitmore

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Russia Belarus