Category: Minsk, Belarus

7 reported held after unsanctioned Belarus protest

A Belarusian human rights organization says seven opposition activists have been detained by police after an unsanctioned protest by more 1,000 people in a provincial city. The Friday demonstration in Maladzyechna, a city of about 100,000 people 75 kilometers north of the capital Minsk, came a day after President Alexander Lukashenko suspended the collection of fines from unemployed people.

In Europe, Pence says US will hold Russia accountable

Vice President Mike Pence vowed Saturday that the United States will “hold Russia accountable” even as President Donald Trump searches for new common ground with Moscow at the start of his presidency. Pence, in an address to the Munich Security Conference, also offered assurances to European allies that the U.S. “strongly supports” NATO.

Pence assures Europe US will ‘hold Russia accountable’ 0:0

Vice President Mike Pence vowed Saturday that the United States will “hold Russia accountable” even as President Donald Trump searches for new common ground with Moscow at the start of his presidency. Pence, in an address to the Munich Security Conference, also offered assurances to European allies that the U.S. “strongly supports” NATO.

Ukrainian author seized in Belarus, ordered to leave

A noted Ukrainian poet and novelist says he was seized by security agents in the middle of the night while visiting the capital of Belarus and ordered to leave the country. In a posting on a social media website, Serhiy Zhadan said Saturday that police confronted him in his hotel room in Minsk about 2 a.m. “Nothing was explained … I had to spend the night in a cell,” he wrote.

of Course, the rIGHT Still Thinks he’s Winning:

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s scandalous press conference last week was all over Russian media. Over the course of a seven-and-a-half-hour address, Lukashenko slammed Russia over a variety of grievances that have accumulated recently: what may have seemed like a sudden burst of anger was, perhaps, the logical next step in spiraling Belarusian-Russian relations.

Political Analyst: Revolutionary Process Is Already Underway In Belarus

Moscow is not going to support the Belarusian regime to the same extend as before, which means that the regime will be weakened by the next presidential elections. In the discussion “Belarus 2019: state of the country and political actors”, held by the project Belarus Security Blog, experts tried to predict the development of the situation of domestic and foreign policy for the Belarusian state, thinktanks.by writes.

Trump White House issues muted response to renewed violence in Ukraine

The Trump administration on Wednesday maintained a low-key approach to the latest flare-up of violence in eastern Ukraine, where the government accuses Russian-backed forces of stepping up attacks. The restrained tone may reflect the start of a new U.S. approach to dealing with Russia’s cross-border activity, even as top U.S. officials are pledging to support Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Lukashenka-Style Visa-Free Regime: Foreigners To Be Checked Against Databases Of Belarus, Russia

The foreigners arriving under the visa-free regime to Minsk airport will be checked against the databases of the police and the secret services of Belarus and Russia. Belarusian expert in national security issues Aliaksandr Tsishchanka has said this during the video-conference dedicated to introduction of the visa-free regime for the citizens of 80 states in Belarus, BelTA reports.