Latest Belarus government News
Poland, Lithuania fear new migrant crisis due to Belarus' offer of visa-free travel
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus is introducing a visa-free travel arrangement with dozens of countries for a month, raising fears that neighboring Poland and Lithuania might see a sudden increase in unauthorized migration. The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander...
Belarus has no immediate plans to adopt Russian currency, its strongman leader Lukashenko says
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus and Russia have no plans to adopt a joint currency in the near future, Belarus’ strongman leader announced on Monday. Speaking at a meeting with the head of Russia’s central bank, Alexander Lukashenko said that introducing the Russian ruble in...
Poland imposes sanctions on 365 Belarusians over 'draconian' verdict against journalist
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland imposed sanctions Monday on 365 Belarusian citizens and froze the financial assets of 20 entities and 16 other people associated with Russian capital in reaction to what it condemned as a “draconian” verdict against a journalist. Under the...
Migrants with children stuck at Poland's border wall; activists say Belarus won't let them turn back
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A group of some 30 migrants seeking asylum, including small children, has been stuck at Poland's border wall with Belarus for three days, Polish human rights activists said Sunday. Although the migrants were outside Poland's border wall, activists from Grupa...
Belarus upholds 8-year prison sentence for journalist of top Polish newspaper
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus' Supreme Court on Friday upheld an eight-year prison sentence handed to a prominent member of the country’s sizable Polish minority and a correspondent for a top newspaper in Poland. The decision is seen part of the government's sweeping, year's...
Japan adopts new sanctions on Russia, criticizes its deal to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus
TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Friday approved additional sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine, including freezing the assets of dozens of individuals and groups and banning exports to Russian military-related organizations. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told...
Russia signs deal to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russia and Belarus signed a deal Thursday formalizing the deployment of Moscow’s tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of its ally, although control of the weapons remains in the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the deployment of the...
Were Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Belarus? Ukraine's top prosecutor is investigating
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's prosecutor-general says it's investigating the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus, adding to allegations that Russia is also transferring them to its territory. Ukrainian law enforcement officers said they are investigating the...
Belarus opposition group urges EU to maintain sanctions on Belarus state companies
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A member of the Belarus opposition movement urged the European Union on Monday to keep sanctions against a Belarusian state fertilizer producer, warning that lifting them would generate a $1.5 billion windfall for Alexander Lukashenko's regime as it supports Russia’s war...
Belarusian dissident who was pulled off forced-down plane says he has been pardoned
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The Belarusian state news agency on Monday reported that a dissident journalist who was pulled off a flight that was forced to land in the country and was later sentenced to eight years in prison says he has received a presidential pardon. "I literally just...
