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☆ Nobel laureate calls for national reconciliation at trial in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski called for "national reconciliation" between the Belarus authorities and opposition on Monday, in his final statement at a trial he said was politically motivated. "We need to start a broad public dialogue aimed at national reconciliation," Byalyatski told the court in a statement published online by the Viasna human rights organisation he co-founded in 1996. Byalyatski was already in jail and awaiting trial long before he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last October, along with Russian human rights organisation Memorial and Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties. "The criminal case against us, the human rights activists of Viasna, is politically motivated," Byalyatski said. He has brushed off accusations of human rights abuses.

☆ Belarus says Poland closing border crossing point is 'catastrophic' decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 10 (Reuters) - Belarus on Friday slammed a decision by Poland to close a border checkpoint between the two countries as "catastrophic", saying it could lead to a "collapse" on both sides of the border. "The actions of the Polish authorities could lead to a collapse on both sides of the border," Belarus' border committee said in a statement shared on social media. After the closure comes into force, only two of six major land crossing points along the two countries' 400-km (249 mile) border will be open, Belarus' border force said in a statement. "With the closure of another Polish checkpoint, the situation will become catastrophic," Belarus' border force added, pointing to already existing long lines at border crossings. Minsk also said it believed the decision was purposefully designed to "further aggravate the situation at the border and limit citizens' travel."

☆ Poland to close Belarus border crossing until further notice
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Poland is to close a key border crossing with Belarus until further notice, the Polish interior minister said on Thursday, as relations between Warsaw and Minsk sink to new lows. Bobrowniki, more than 200 km northeast of Warsaw, is one of the main crossing points between Poland and Belarus. In 2021, Poland and the European Union said Minsk had engineered a migrant crisis on its borders, an accusation Belarus denies. More recently, Poland has condemned the vandalism of Polish graves in Belarus. Thousands of people of Polish origin live in Belarus as the west of the country was Polish territory until the borders were redrawn after World War Two.

☆ Ukraine imposes sanctions on 182 Russian, Belarusian firms, 3 people
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 29 (Reuters) - Ukraine imposed sanctions against 182 Russian and Belarusian companies, and three individuals, in the latest of a series of steps by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to block Moscow's and Minsk's connections to his country. "Their assets in Ukraine are blocked, their properties will be used for our defence," Zelenskiy said in a video address. The sanctioned companies chiefly engage in the transportation of goods, vehicle leasing and chemical production, according to the list published by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The list includes Russian potash fertiliser producer and exporter Uralkali, Belarus state-owned potash producer Belaruskali, Belarusian Railways, as well as Russia's VTB-Leasing and Gazprombank Leasing both dealing with transport leasing. Ukraine has sanctioned hundreds of Russian and Belarusian individuals and firms since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

☆ Belarus leader says he has been asked to seal a non-aggression pact with Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that he had been asked to conclude a non-aggression pact with Ukraine, the Belta state news agency reported, citing comments that suggested he saw Kyiv as a potential threat. Lukashenko was quoted by Belta as saying:"...They are asking us not to go to war with Ukraine in any circumstances, not to move our troops there. It was not immediately clear from his comments whether Ukraine itself or the West had made the alleged offer. Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year. In the same speech, Belta cited Lukashenko as accusing Ukraine of hosting militants who could be part of an alleged long-term Western plan to destabilise his country.

Together with Moscow, Minsk has also been bolstering the drills with weaponry and military equipment. The Belarusian defence ministry said only that "units" of Russia's air forces have been arriving in Belarus. Ukraine's Air Force said the apartment block was struck by a Russian Kh-22 missile, which is known to be inaccurate and that Ukraine lacks the air defences to shoot down. SOLEDARIn Ukraine's eastern Donbas region - the focal point of Russia's drive to capture more territory - Ukraine's forces were battling around the small salt-mining town of Soledar. Russian forces claimed to have taken control of the town, but Ukraine insisted on Sunday that its forces were battling to hold the town, with street fighting raging and Russian forces advancing from various directions.

☆ Davos 2023: Opposition leader says Russian move on Ukraine from Belarus unlikely
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( John Irish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Belarus' exiled opposition leader said on Monday she did not think Russia would launch an offensive on Ukraine from Belarus after the two countries began military drills, but Moscow could launch more missiles strikes from its ally's territory. Moscow and Minsk started joint military exercises on Monday, triggering fears in Kyiv and the West that Moscow could use its ally to launch a new ground offensive in Ukraine. Belarus has conducted numerous military exercises since Russia's invasion began in February, both on its own and jointly with Russia. However, it is unclear how much appetite there is from the people to enter a war against their neighbour. "Lukashenko's regime isn't sure that if he sends troops to fight with the Russian army to Ukraine, the Belarus people won't change sides, hide or betray him, so the status quo is comfortable for Lukashenko and (Russian President Vladimir)Putin."

☆ Belarus, Russia to start 'defensive in nature' air force drills, Minsk says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Belarus said its air force drills with Russia that start on Monday are defensive in nature to prepare for possible combat missions, but the move comes as concerns grow that Moscow is pushing Minsk to join the war in Ukraine. The exercises which will last until Feb. 1 are to involve training for "aerial reconnaissance, deflecting air strikes, air cover of important objects and communications", Muraveyko added. Together with Moscow, Minsk has also been adding weaponry and military equipment to the drills. The Belarusian defence ministry said only that "units" of Russia's air forces have been arriving in Belarus. "During the tactical flight exercise, all airfields and training grounds of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus will be involved," the ministry said in a statement.

☆ Poland, Lithuania want nuclear curbs in new EU sanctions on Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustrations/File PhotoBRUSSELS, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Poland and Lithuania want the European Union to impose restrictions on Russia's nuclear sector as part of new sanctions against Moscow and Minsk for the war in Ukraine, senior diplomats from the two EU countries said on Friday. They said the 10th EU package of sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine should be ready in time for the first anniversary of the invasion on Feb. 24. They wanted new sanctions against Russia's ally Belarus, where they said loopholes allowed it to bypass European sanctions against Moscow in trading goods including furniture. They proposed that Rosatom and/or its leadership be blacklisted as a first step that should then lead to winding down cooperation in the EU with Russia's nuclear industry. The senior diplomats said they would also try again to end Belgium's diamond trade with Russia through new EU sanctions and expand bans on trade in goods that can be used for military purposes.

☆ Belarus detains former presidential candidate
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 12 (Reuters) - An opposition politician who stood against long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko in the controversial 2020 presidential election has been detained, his team said. There was no comment from authorities in Belarus on the detention. His announcement of victory over leading opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya triggered weeks of mass protests in which hundreds of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets urging Lukashenko to step aside. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, violently quashed the protests and has since stepped up a campaign of repression to silence domestic political opposition. Rights groups estimate there are about 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus as a result of the crackdown.

☆ Nobel Prize-winning rights defender goes on trial in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski, who co-founded the Viasna human rights group, sits inside a defendants' cage during a court hearing in Minsk, Belarus January 5, 2023. The 60-year-old, who co-founded the Viasna human rights group, and two other representatives of the group who also went on trial watched from inside a metal cage before proceedings were adjourned until Friday. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian rights group Memorial and Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties last October, but had been arrested in 2021 along with the two co-workers from Viasna. A fourth rights defender who fled Belarus is being prosecuted in absentia in the same case. "The allegations against our colleagues are linked to their human rights activity, the Viasna human rights centre's provision of help to the victims of politically motivated persecution," the group said of the case.

☆ Russia Expresses ‘Extreme Concern’ After Ukrainian Missile Lands in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Georgi Kantchev | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Russia declared its “extreme concern” about a Ukrainian air-defense missile that landed in Belarus, while authorities in Minsk, which initially played down the incident, adopted a much tougher tone. The escalating rhetoric renewed concerns that Moscow was seeking to draw Minsk more directly into the war with Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Belarus, and joint military exercises.

☆ Belarus official: 'Unlikely' downed Ukrainian missile entered by accident
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 30 (Reuters) - The secretary of Belarus' Security Council said in an interview on Friday that it was "unlikely" that a Ukrainian air defence missile downed on Thursday had entered Belarusian airspace by accident. "An example of this is the recent incident with the destruction of the Ukrainian S-300 missile. Belarus' defence ministry said on Thursday its air defence forces had shot down a Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile near the village of Harbacha in the Brest region, some 15 km (9 miles) from the Belarus-Ukraine border. A regional military official in Belarus had played down the cross-border incident shortly after it occurred, saying: "Unfortunately, these things happen." Ukraine's defence ministry said it would investigate the incident, suggesting it was a Russian provocation and reserving the right to protect its own skies.

☆ Russia says it is extremely concerned by Ukrainian missile downed over Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine. MOSCOW, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday it was extremely concerned about a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile that was shot down after flying into the air space of its close ally Belarus on Thursday. Belarus' defence ministry said on Thursday its air defence forces had shot down a Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile near the village of Harbacha in the Brest region, some 15 km (9 miles) from the Belarus-Ukraine border. The S-300 is a Soviet-era air defence system used by both Russia and Ukraine. There has also been a growing flurry of Russian and Belarusian military activity in Belarus in recent months.

☆ Belarus protests to Ukraine after downing stray air defence missile
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Belarus protested to Ukraine's ambassador on Thursday after saying it had downed a Ukrainian S-300 air defence missile in a field, during one of Russia's heaviest aerial onslaughts against Ukraine since the start of the war. A Ukrainian military spokesman in effect acknowledged that the missile was a Ukrainian stray, saying the incident was "nothing strange, a result of air defence" and something that "has happened more than once". The S-300 is a Soviet-era air defence system used by both Russia and Ukraine. "Fragments were found in an agricultural field ... the wreckage belongs to an S-300 anti-aircraft guided missile fired from the territory of Ukraine," the defence ministry said. BelTA published photos and video of what it said were parts of an S-300 missile lying in an empty field.

☆ Belarus downs Ukrainian air defence missile, no cause for alarm - officials
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Belarus' defence ministry said its air defences had downed a Ukrainian S-300 missile in a field on Thursday morning, during one of Russia's largest missile attacks against Ukraine since the start of the war. The S-300 is a Soviet-era air defence system that is used by both Russia and Ukraine. The incident occurred at the same time Russia was launching its latest wave of missile attacks on cities across Ukraine. BelTA published photos and video of what it said were parts of an S-300 missile lying in an empty agricultural field. The defence ministry did not provide any information about casualties, and said it would provide more detailed information in the near future.

☆ Belarus' defence ministry says it downed Ukrainian S-300 missile
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Belarus' defence ministry said its air defences had downed a Ukrainian S-300 missile in the Brest border region at around 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Thursday. Belarus' state-run BelTA news agency had earlier reported that a Ukrainian S-300 missile had fallen onto the territory of Belarus during one of Russia's most extensive missile attacks against Ukraine since the start of the war. It had said the Minsk defence ministry was investigating whether Belarus' air defence systems had shot down the rocket or it was a misfire. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Dec 27 (Reuters) - A Minsk court sentenced in absentia former Olympic swimmer Aliaksandra Herasimenia and political activist Alexander Opeykin to 12 years in prison for calling for sanctions and actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus. Belarus has been shunned by the United Nations and many countries for an ongoing crackdown on political opponents, civil society and journalists. According to the U.S. embassy in Belarus, there are more than 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus. "The regime can't get to them, but their property in Belarus was seized, including a car & an apartment. Reporting in Winnipeg by Ron Popeski and in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Lincoln Feast.

REUTERS/Clodagh KilcoyneKVIV/MOSCOW, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Russian forces bombarded scores of towns in Ukraine on Christmas Day as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to negotiations, a stance Washington has dismissed as posturing because of continued Russian attacks. Ukraine has traditionally not celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25, but Jan. 7, the same as Russia. That range reaches deep into neighbours of Belarus: Ukraine and NATO member Poland, which has very strained relations with Minsk. The S-400 system is a Russian mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) interception system capable of engaging aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and has a terminal ballistic missile defence capability. Blasts were heard at Russia's Engels air base, hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the Ukraine frontlines, Ukrainian and Russian media reported on Monday.

☆ Belarus says Russia-deployed Iskander missile systems ready for use
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 25 (Reuters) - The Iskander tactical missile systems and the S-400 air defence systems that Russia has deployed to Belarus are fully prepared to perform their intended tasks, a senior Belarusian defence ministry official said on Sunday. "These types of weapons (Iskander and S-400 systems) are on combat duty today and they are fully prepared to perform tasks for their intended purpose." It is not clear how many of the Iskander systems - which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons - have been deployed to Belarus after Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that Moscow would supply Minsk with them and the air defence systems. The Iskander-M, a mobile guided missile system code named "SS-26 Stone" by NATO, replaced the Soviet "Scud". The S-400 system is a Russian mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) interception system capable of engaging aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and has a terminal ballistic missile defence capability.

☆ Zelenskyy's U.S. trip comes as Ukraine warns Putin is planning a major new offensive
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Patrick-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Patrick Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The visit comes a day after Zelenskyy greeted troops in Bakhmut, a front-line city that Moscow's forces have struggled to seize despite months of intense battles, while Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a rare admission of his army's difficulties. The Russian leader’s pre-Christmas trip to neighboring Belarus only added to mounting speculation. Zelenskyy will now meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress as his country hopes to not just shore up but secure greater support from its Western allies. "Ukraine is very keen to step up and intensify the military support from the U.S.," Frank Ledwidge, a senior lecturer of law and strategy at University of Portsmouth, told NBC News. On Monday, Putin and his most senior advisers traveled to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to meet authoritarian ally President Alexander Lukashenko, amplifying long-held fears that his forces could join a new offensive.

To Russian security agencies operating in Ukraine, he said late on Monday in comments translated by Reuters: "Yes, it is difficult for you now. The situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions is extremely difficult." Both Putin and Lukashenko were also at pains to dismiss the idea of Russia annexing or absorbing Belarus. Russian troops that moved to Belarus in October will conduct battalion tactical exercises, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing the defence ministry. It also said Ukrainian air and artillery forces carried out more than a dozen strikes on Russian troops and hardware, including ammunition dumps, and shot down two helicopters.

☆ Kremlin rejects suggestions Putin will push Belarus to join Ukraine conflict
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 19 (Reuters) - The Kremlin dismissed the idea that President Vladimir Putin was travelling to Belarus on Monday in order to push Minsk to take a more active role in the conflict in Ukraine, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said such reports were "groundless" and "stupid". Putin was due in Minsk on Monday afternoon for his first visit there in more than three years, as increasing military activity, inspections and troop movements in Belarus, one of the launchpads for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have spooked Kyiv. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin heads for Belarus amid fears of new assault on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KYIV, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin flies to Belarus on Monday amid fear in Kyiv that he intends to pressure the former Soviet ally to join a new ground offensive against Ukraine and reopen a new front. There has been constant Russian and Belarusian military activity for months in Belarus, a close Kremlin ally that Moscow's troops used as a launch pad for their abortive attack on Kyiv in February. Moscow and Minsk have since set up a joint regional unit of forces in Belarus and held numerous military exercises. Three Russian warplanes and an airborne early warning and control aircraft were deployed to Belarus last week. Lukashenko said he and Putin will hold talks on a long-running effort to integrate their countries into a supranational union State.

☆ Putin lands in Belarus for talks amid fears of new assault on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin walks after disembarking from a plane upon his arrival at the National Airport Minsk in Minsk, Belarus December 19, 2022. Russian forces used Belarus as a launch pad for their abortive attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in February, and there has been Russian and Belarusian military activity there for months. Adding to the ominous mood music, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, one of the few officials in Lukashenko's government with any rapport with the West, died suddenly last month. His successor, Sergei Aleinik, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. The talks are seen by the Belarus opposition as a vehicle for a creeping Russian annexation.

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