Category: Belarus

Facts Matter (Feb. 24): Warnings of ‘Radioactive Dust’ Spreading Over Europe As Fighting Rages Near Chernobyl Nuclear Plant

After many months of saber-rattling, last night, Russia began a full-on assault on the entirety of Ukraine. And so, you have unbelievable videos floating around online, showing cruise missiles being fired from Russia’s fleet in the Baltic Sea, explosions across all major cities, ground troops coming across the Eastern flank, from Crimea, as well as…


UK to Send 350 More Troops to Poland Amid Tensions in Eastern Europe

Britain is to send an additional 350 troops to Poland in a show of support for its Eastern European ally, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Monday. Speaking at a joint press conference in London with Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, Wallace said Britain will send extra troops to Poland “to show that we…


Ryanair Calls on Belarus to Guarantee No Repeat of Plane Diversion

DUBLIN—The Irish airline Ryanair on Monday urged Belarus to guarantee that there would be no repeat of the forced landing of one of its flights last May, and said airlines should not fly over Belarus without such a guarantee. The plane was overflying Belarus on its way from Athens to Vilnius when Belarus controllers ordered…


Russia Holds Large-Scale Naval Drill, Sends More Fighter Jets to Belarus

Russia on Wednesday deployed more troops and fighter jets to Belarus as part of a major military exercise between the two allied nations—while also more than 20 warships of the Black Sea fleet departed their naval bases for drills in the Black Sea waters. The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement it relocated crews…


Russia Deploys 2 Strategic Bombers to Patrol Over Belarus

Russia on Saturday dispatched a pair of nuclear-capable bombers over Belarusian airspace in a patrol mission that lasted four hours, showcasing close defense ties between the two allied nations. “Two Tu-22MZ long-range bombers of the Aerospace Forces completed a patrol mission in the Belarusian air space,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, Russian…


Belarus Jails Opposition Leader’s Husband for 18 Years in ‘Revenge’ Verdict

MOSCOW—A court in Belarus sentenced the opposition leader’s husband to 18 years in jail on Tuesday after he was arrested during an attempt to run for president against incumbent Alexander Lukashenko, a verdict his wife called political revenge. The court found Syarhei Tsikhanouski, a 43-year-old video blogger, guilty of organizing mass unrest and of inciting…


UK Sends More Troops to Poland, Lithuania Amid Belarus Border Tensions

Britain is sending more troops to Poland and Lithuania to help the Eastern European countries tackle the illegal immigration crisis orchestrated by the Belarusian regime. In a statement on Thursday, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: “Poland and Lithuania, along with their Baltic neighbour Latvia, have been under significant pressure from migration originating from…


Kremlin Hopes Belarus Won’t Stop Gas Transit to EU Amid Migrant Crisis

MOSCOW—Russia hopes Belarus will not suspend gas transit to Europe, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko threatened to block shipments as part of a crisis over migrants at the border. The EU has accused Belarus of flying in thousands of people from the Middle East and pushing them to cross into…


Lithuania Says Belarus Will Keep Testing West, Urges NATO Rethink

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said on Nov. 28 that NATO needs to adjust its stance towards Belarus, whose military is becoming more integrated with Russian armed forces. Nausėda told a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Vilnius, Lithuania, that he has been worried by…


Russian, Belarusian Fighter Jets Jointly Patrol Belarus Border

MOSCOW—Russian and Belarusian fighter jets jointly patrolled Belarus’ border on Thursday, the Belarusian defence ministry said, in the latest sign of Moscow’s support for its ally in a standoff with the EU over migrants camped at the frontier with Poland. The European Union has accused Belarus of flying in thousands of people from the Middle…