Latest Belarus News

Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus

Mar. 25, 2023 17:44 PM EDT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine. Putin said the move was triggered by Britain’s decision this past week to...

US sanctions Belarus' election officials, president's plane

Mar. 24, 2023 12:38 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions Friday on seven Belarusian elections officials, two state-owned automotive manufacturers and President Alexander Lukashenko's aircraft. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, intensified his repression after a wave of protests in...

Reporter for Russian paper sentenced to 3 years in Belarus

Mar. 23, 2023 10:33 AM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Belarus on Thursday sentenced a reporter for the now-closed local edition of one of Russia's most popular newspapers to three years in prison for insulting the country's authoritarian leader. Hienadz Mazheyka was sentenced for a 2021 article in...

Polish leaders meet wife of jailed Nobel laureate Bialiatski

Mar. 21, 2023 12:25 PM EDT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish leaders met Tuesday with the wife of imprisoned Belarusian human rights campaigner and Nobel peace laureate Ales Bialiatski to stress Warsaw's continued support for Belarus’ democratic opposition and political prisoners. Prime Minister Mateusz...

Paris Olympics organizers looking for 45,000 volunteers

Mar. 21, 2023 11:57 AM EDT

PARIS (AP) — The Paris Olympics is putting out a call for 45,000 helpers. Organizers of the 2024 Games are launching a drive this week to recruit tens of thousands of volunteers willing to work without pay at the world’s biggest sports event. And they want the...

Belarus says it's discovered weapons for 'terrorist' attacks

Mar. 21, 2023 11:05 AM EDT

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday that his country's security forces have discovered an arsenal of weapons intended for “terrorist” attacks, two days after they killed a terrorism suspect near the Polish border. The reported discovery followed Belarus'...

Belarus tightens border with Poland after 'terrorist' shot

Mar. 20, 2023 09:23 AM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus has stepped up security along its border with Poland after security forces killed a foreigner in the region who allegedly was planning a terrorist attack, the Belarusian human rights group Viasna said Monday. The Belarusian KGB security agency said...

UN rights chief decries 'systematic repression' in Belarus

Mar. 17, 2023 10:45 AM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief called on Belarus Friday to end its “systematic repression” of critics and immediately release people held on political grounds, saying some violations may amount to crimes against humanity. The comments from Volker Türk came as his...

Poland detains 9 people suspected of spying for Russia

Mar. 16, 2023 18:19 PM EDT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish authorities said Thursday that the nation's security services detained members of a Russian espionage ring, alleging they were preparing acts of sabotage in Poland and had been monitoring railroad routes used for the transport of weapons into Ukraine. ...

EU lawmakers ask UEFA to ban Belarus from Euro 2024

Mar. 15, 2023 11:09 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — A group of more than 100 European Union lawmakers is urging European soccer's governing body to ban Belarus from qualifying for the 2024 European Championship. MEPs from across the political spectrum wrote in a letter sent to UEFA president Alexander Ceferin that...