Belarus Review by iSANS — April 07, 2025 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, between March 31 and April 6, at least one Russian “Shahed” drone was detected in Belarusian airspace. Later, it crossed into Ukraine. There were no reports of drones being intercepted in Belarusian airspace.

On March 29, the Telegram channel of the 56^th Separate Signal Regiment reported the arrival in Belarus of a Russian Armed Forces parade unit to participate in the May 9 Victory Day parade in Minsk. According to the Belarusian Railway Workers’ Community, approximately 50 servicemen and 14 pieces of equipment arrived, including “Linza” protected medical evacuation vehicles and KamAZ-53949 “Phoenix” armored vehicles. On April 3, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense published footage of the parade rehearsal, featuring Russian servicemen.

On March 31, the State Authority for Military Industry reported that training had begun at the 15^th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade for specialists from the Joint Stock Company “2566 Radioelectronic Armament Repair Plant” in the maintenance of components from the S-400 “Triumf” air defense system. This training is part of a broader project to establish a service center at the plant for the repair of air defense systems produced by the Russian defense conglomerate “Almaz-Antey”.

From April 1 to 3, the first staff-level negotiations were held at the Joint Headquarters of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow to prepare for joint exercises scheduled to take place in Belarus from September 1 to 6. The parties discussed the concept of the drills and determined the composition of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces command and exercise participants.

Between April 2 and 3, in accordance with the provisions of the 2011 Vienna Document on confidence- and security-building measures, representatives of the Belarusian Armed Forces conducted an inspection in the territory of Serbia. The inspection confirmed that no notifiable military activity was taking place in the area under review. It was also verified that Serbia is complying with the provisions of the OSCE Vienna Document.

On April 2, the Telegram channel of the 38^th Air Assault Brigade reported that exercises were conducted at a stronghold in the Zhabinka district. The training focused on defending and assaulting a stronghold, clearing trenches and communication paths, and suppressing drones using electronic warfare rifles.

From April 2 to 3, under the leadership of the Chief of the Territorial Defense Directorate of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces, a training session was held on managing territorial troop formations. The goal was to improve the skills of territorial defense command personnel in forming and managing territorial troops. Participants included representatives of regional and district executive committees, military commissariats of the Minsk Region, and personnel from relevant agencies. Practical exercises involved information collection and analysis, decision-making, calculations, and the preparation of directive documents.

On April 2, it was reported that at the end of March, Belarusian Joint Stock Company “Agat – Electromechanical Plant” delivered another batch of R-414MBRP “Sosna-2” radio relay stations to the signal troops of the Belarusian Armed Forces. Serial production and deliveries of these stations began in 2020.

On April 3, a meeting of the Security Council of Belarus was held. The meeting reviewed a report on the state of national security and measures to enhance it. Following the session, State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandr Valfovich stated that the national security situation is assessed positively. He also noted that Belarus does not prioritize increasing its military budget or the number of exercises. However, the Belarusian Armed Forces continue to receive new types of weapons and military equipment, while the quality of servicemen’s training is steadily improving.

On April 4, it was reported that a delegation from the Gavrilovo-Yam Machine-Building Plant “Agat” (Russia) visited the Zhytkavichy Engine Plant in the Homiel region. The Russian “Agat” plant specializes in the production and repair of equipment for aircraft engines and various components and systems for aircraft. The Zhytkavichy plant’s activities include manufacturing aviation components and repairing small gas turbine engines. The visit was likely related to cooperation of Belarus in this area with the Russian defense industry.

On April 4, the military information agency “Vayar” reported that the 7^th Engineer Regiment received a new batch of upgraded “IMR-2” obstacle-clearing engineering vehicles. The number of vehicles was not specified; it is assumed the modernization took place in Russia. It was noted that this was the second delivery of such vehicles in 2025. A complete renewal of the regiment’s obstacle-clearing equipment is expected by the end of the first half of the year.

Throughout the week, the Telegram channel of the 6^th Mechanized Brigade reported ongoing training at the 333^rd Combat Training Center of the Russian Armed Forces, involving servicemen from the 52^nd Separate Tank Battalion. The training is conducted by Russian instructors with combat experience from the war in Ukraine. Servicemen are studying the characteristics of modern combat and methods for reacting to non-standard and high-stress situations. The training is being conducted using advanced simulators.

On April 2, 2025, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with representatives of more than 35 Belarusian organizations and initiatives currently operating in Lithuania. The meeting took place at her office in Vilnius and focused on strengthening cooperation between Belarusian civil society and the democratic forces, as well as planning joint actions, campaigns, and public events. A significant part of the discussion was dedicated to the challenges faced by Belarusians living in Lithuania. Among the issues raised were legal recognition and access to rehabilitation for Belarusian volunteers who served in Ukraine. Participants also highlighted problems related to asylum procedures and employment opportunities, particularly for those awaiting decisions on their status. Tsikhanouskaya also shared the results of a recent meeting between her Office and a working group under the Lithuanian Government’s Chancellery that focuses on combating xenophobia. She further presented the outcomes of a roundtable held in the Lithuanian Seimas on March 26, where many of these same challenges were discussed with lawmakers and policy experts.

On April 4, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made a working visit to Germany, where she participated in the Westphalian Conference in Münster. In her speech, the Belarusian leader called on Western partners to unite against dictatorship, emphasized the connection between democracy and security, and spoke about the ongoing repression in Belarus and the importance of supporting the country’s European future. “Democracies must demonstrate their strength. I am not just talking about military power. Military is meaningless without societies ready to defend their freedom. That is why investments in people are so important,” Tsikhanouskaya emphasized. “We must not let dictators build a new Iron Curtain — Belarus must not be left behind. Do not let Russia cement its grip on Belarus for generations.”

On April 2, representatives of Belarusian democratic forces held a series of meetings in Poland with officials from the Prime Minister’s and President’s Chancelleries, the Polish Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the diplomatic community. The discussions focused on supporting independent media, the Belarusian community in Poland, and regional security. Dzianis Kuchynski, advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, met with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Cabinet Chief, Pawel Grase, to discuss regional security, EU matters, and the results of the Kosciuszko Forum. Kuchynski also held consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on issues affecting the Belarusian community in Poland, with a working group on these matters set to meet in May. Additionally, Kuchynski and Pavel Latushka met with ambassadors from France, the UK, and Germany to discuss further cooperation and thanked them for their stance on the non-recognition of Belarus’s “elections.”

On April 4, the Polish Sejm has adopted a resolution on the elections in Belarus. 431 deputies voted for the adoption of the resolution, two voted against it, there were no abstainers. “The presidential elections did not meet democratic standards, and their result cannot be recognized as a reliable reflection of the will of the Belarusian people,” the resolution said. It emphasized that the Sejm, guided by the basic principles of democracy and respect for human rights and civil liberties, expresses deep concern about the political situation in Belarus. “The Sejm of the Republic of Poland also holds the Russian Federation responsible for this long-term crisis of democracy, lack of respect for human and civil rights, and constant repression of Belarusian citizens, which, in the process of forced integration with the Belarusian state, has effectively deprived it of sovereignty,” the document said. The Seim appealed to the authorities of Belarus with a demand to stop the use of violence and harassment against all citizens who peacefully express their views, as well as to release and drop charges against all political prisoners, including Andrei Poczobut. It also appealed to the Polish government “with further calls for the support of the Belarusian society and active support for international sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations”. According to Pavel Latushka, the resolution was developed through cooperation between the United Transitional Cabinet, the Coordination Council, and the parliamentary group “For a Free Belarus” in the Polish parliament. “So-called elections do not reflect the political will of the Belarusian people.” In turn, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the Polish Sejm’s adoption of the resolution in support of Belarus, saying: “Your solidarity gives us strength and hope in our struggle for freedom and independence. This resolution is more than just words — it is a powerful statement that Belarus has not been forgotten.”

Latvia has extended its ban on the import of agricultural products and animal feed from Belarus and Russia for another year, until July 1, 2026. According to Delfi.lv, the decision was made on April 3 through urgent amendments to the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development, adopted by the Latvian Parliament. The ban applies to vegetables, fruit, berries, nuts, all types of grain, raw feed materials, and finished animal feed — whether imported directly from Belarus and Russia or through third countries, if the products were originally produced there. Latvian authorities described the move as “part of the country’s economic security policy.” The initial ban was introduced in the spring of last year.

Representatives of the special operations forces will represent Belarus during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, according to BELTA.  “About 70 fighters are already busy practicing their footwork. For now, they are practicing in Minsk. On 23 April they will leave for Moscow and will practice marching in Red Square.”

Russia expressed its readiness to assist Belarus in the exploration of rare earth metals, according to Belarusian Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Siarhei Masliak, who said this in an interview with the state-run ONT television channel. The issue gained attention after Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke about the presence of rare earth elements in the country. On March 4, he instructed Deputy Prime Minister Yury Shuleyka, who oversees the relevant sector in the government, to “dig in” and “keep pushing” to investigate what might be hidden underground. The following day, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that exploration efforts would begin in three districts located in the Homiel and Hrodna regions.

Polish journalists recently published an investigation highlighting the involvement of influential businessman Witold Karczewski and Belarusian entrepreneur Aliaksandr Zingman, who is close to Lukashenka, in a network of corruption and potential espionage. The investigation revealed that Polish intelligence had raised concerns as early as in 2016 about Eastern intelligence influences penetrating the Polish government. Karczewski and Zingman were reportedly involved in various business dealings in Belarus, Poland, and Africa, including weapons, fertilizers, and other tender contracts, with suspicions of bribery to secure contracts. In 2015, the Polish Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) launched a secret operation, “Nevada,” after detecting corruption involving Polish officials. Karczewski’s company, “Contractus”, won multiple tenders in African countries, financed by Polish aid programs, with reports suggesting that bribes and political influence were key to these successes. Zingman, a key figure linked to the Lukashenka regime interests, helped Karczewski expand his empire in Africa, often using his connections with African leaders and Polish officials to secure favorable contracts. The investigation also pointed to Zingman’s connections with high-ranking Belarusian officials, including Viktar Sheiman, and hinted at illegal arms trade involvement, though no direct evidence was found. The Polish authorities eventually closed a potential espionage investigation in 2024, despite the discovery of extensive wiretap records. However, with a change in political leadership in Poland, the case has been revived, and further developments are expected.

Information became available last week about a large-scale KGB raid on March 20-21 in various cities of Belarus. The details of the raid are yet unknown, but as a result, some of the people were allegedly placed in the KGB detention center. It is known that some detainees are charged with “terrorist” charges.

On March 31, human rights activists recognized 11 more persons as political prisoners. The total number of currently imprisoned people recognized as political prisoners in Belarus is 1,208. Recently, the number of political prisoners has not grown significantly and has even somewhat decreased. But this, however, is not because the repression is decreasing, but because in parallel with new cases of imprisonment, the process of releasing those who have fully served their sentences or pardoned is underway. Also, the courts sentence some people to home-based limitation of freedom, after which the person leaves the prison walls, and is no longer considered a prisoner. The statistics do not include all those who are imprisoned for political reasons, as human rights defenders are not aware of many cases of repression. The real number of political prisoners is, therefore, even higher.

In March, human rights activists recorded at least 209 cases of politically motivated repression, including arrests and searches. This is almost 450 cases fewer than in February, but human rights activists attribute this to a lack of access to information about trials.

Political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok will not be released after the end of the term of his imprisonment — he was transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Kalyadichi within the framework of a new criminal case against him. The details of the case are unknown. In September 2024, a criminal case was already opened against Dziadok for malicious disobedience to the prison administration. It is unknown whether there was a trial and what its results were. From the summer to the fall of 2024, Dziadok spent more than 100 days in a punishment cell.

Anatol Sanatsenka, the former editor of the Babruisk Courier, was arrested for 15 days. His trial took place on March 31. He was probably accused of “distributing, manufacturing, storing, and transporting information products containing calls for extremist activities or propagandizing such activities”. Sanatsenka was previously detained in September 2022. He was then tried twice on the same charges and spent 30 days in a temporary detention facility. During the same period, the Ministry of Information blocked access to the website of the Babruisk Courier. On September 26, 2022, the court ruled that the website materials were “extremist information products”.

Schoolchildren’s phones were being checked by teachers without warning in several schools. The formal reason given was suicide prevention, but in practice they were also interested in political messages. Drug crime prevention was also cited as a reason for checking phones. Parents found out that their children’s phones were checked by accident. One of the schoolgirls casually told her mother that all her classmates’ mobile phones had been taken away for verification. No one warned the parents in advance or asked their permission to do that. The children themselves were surprised by the demand but did not object. In response to questions from parents, teachers explained that this was not their initiative, but a requirement of the Department of Education. The Minsk Committee on Education noted that checking phones is an exceptional measure which can be applied when a child may be in danger. “No requirements for checking children’s phones in schools were issued,” the authorities commented.

A fourth criminal case has been opened against political prisoner Victoryia Kulsha under the charge of malicious disobedience to the colony administration. She was supposed to be released on April 6, but at the beginning of the week she was transferred to SIZO-3 in Homiel. Kulsha was detained in November 2020 and sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment. This term was extended three times under the charge of “malicious disobedience”. It is known that Victoryia spent 70 days in a punishment cell and six months in a cell-type room. Human rights activists reported that in colony No. 24 in Zarechcha, she was beaten and strangled by a warden.

At least 112 persons have been convicted of donations in Belarus since 2020, “Viasna” Human Rights Center reports. They were convicted on charges of “financing the activities of an extremist group”, “financing terrorist activities”, and “participation in or preparation of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus to participate in an armed formation or military operations on the territory of a foreign state without the permission of the state”. Last week the ONT TV channel has released a propaganda story “Shadows. The price of terror: who sponsored the extremists and what is the threat of financing a coup?” In it, Uladzislau Laryionau, head of the administration of the Financial Investigations Department of the State Control Committee, stated that “over the past year alone, about 70 crimes related to the financing of various kinds of destructive activities have been identified”. It became known from the story that special investigation procedure will begin in relation to the co-founder of Wargaming company Mikalai Katsalapau. The authors of the story claim that he has been transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars to “extremist” and “terrorist” foundations for several years.

On April 2, 64-year-old Zhanna Vaynilovich, who was detained a few days after returning from Poland, was sentenced to two years of “home chemistry” (limitation of freedom). She was accused of participating in the post-election protests in Minsk in 2020 and charged with active participation in actions that grossly violate public order. Prior to the court verdict, she had spent two months in a pre-trial detention center.

Three Minsk residents are accused of high treason for a study on measures to combat coronavirus in Belarus and a sociological survey. It is alleged that they provided materials on the state of affairs in various spheres of life in Belarus to foreign foundations and non-profit organizations. The Investigative Committee claimed that the study contained “deliberately false information” for “use to the detriment of national security and the interests of the state”. The accused are in custody.

Maksim Urbanovich, the brother of the Armed Forces of Ukraine volunteer Dzianis Urbanovich, was not released from custody and is being held in the KGB pre-trial detention center. On the night of April 6, three days ended during which he, according to the Criminal Procedure Code, could be held in custody without charge. The fact that he was not released gives reason to believe that the investigators arrested him for at least another 10 days. It is unknown whether a criminal case has been initiated against him and in what status he is being held in custody.

The trial in absentia in the case of the head of the BYSOL foundation, Andrei Stryzhak, accused of 18 criminal charges, will begin in the Homel Regional Court on April 18. On December 5, the Investigative Committee launched a special investigation procedure against Stryzhak, as well as against BY_help co-founder and head Aliaksei Liavonchyk. Among the criminal charges against them are “incitement to high treason”, “financing of terrorist activities”, “propaganda of terrorism”, and others. The Investigative Committee underlined that Stryzhak and Liavonchyk committed the “crimes” “as part of an organized group”.

A 47-year-old resident of Saligorsk will be tried for money transfers to political prisoners. She was taken into custody and accused of “facilitating extremist activities” — she allegedly helped the “extremist groups Dissidentby, “Viasna” Human Rights Center and “Letters of Solidarity Belarus 2020”. According to the investigation, she made at least 70 financial transfers for about 600 rubles in total to 54 persons. All of them are imprisoned under political charges.

Representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet have appealed to the Ukraine with an initiative to include Belarusian political prisoners convicted of supporting Ukraine in the exchange lists. They stressed that after the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, many Belarusian citizens openly supported Ukraine – they participated in protests, information and volunteer initiatives, and joined volunteer units. The Cabinet representatives suggested that Ukraine initiate consultations with international partners on the inclusion of Belarusian political prisoners in the exchange lists and involve international organizations (UN, OSCE, Red Cross) in the negotiation process. A list of Belarusian political prisoners who supported Ukraine was attached to the letter.

The Warsaw-based Belarusian Solidarity Centre, a leading Belarusian non-profit organization providing legal support for Belarusians in Poland and educational programs for Belarusian and Ukrainian children , is under a threat of closure due to the lack of funding resulting from the recent termination of the U.S. international assistance programs. 20,000 Euro is urgently needed to cover the immediate costs. 10,000 Euro will cover the work of CBS teachers for several months. CBS supplementary school is the largest free Belarusian education platform for children in Poland. Over the past four years, more than 1,500 children have gone through the school. Not only they received free classes; the CBS has helped children to preserve the Belarusian language and culture, even when a return home is impossible.  Another 10,000 Euro will help to cover the salaries of legal advisers, who provide at least 50 legal consultations a day, as well as accompany court cases, write complaints and appeals and represent the interests of Belarusians before administrative bodies in Poland. The CBS has published an appeal for urgent donations which can be sent online through the BYSOL foundation.

On April 3, the European Parliament adopted the European Parliament resolution on the immediate risk of further repression by the Lukashenka regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee (2025/2629(RSP)). 535 deputies voted for the Resolution, 19 voted against it, and 55 deputies abstained. The resolution noted that the Lukashenka regime has been escalating internal and transnational repression to dismantle the structures representing the democratic forces of Belarus; the Belarusian Investigative Committee has opened “special proceedings” against hundreds of Belarusians who joined rallies in various European cities or ran in the Coordination Council’s elections, whereas the families of the Belarusian diaspora were threatened with imprisonment and asset confiscation if they participated in the Freedom Day protests; the Lukashenka regime is exploiting the expiry of many Belarusian passports to force the diaspora to return to Belarus; the Belarusian regime’s increasing cooperation with Russian security services heightens the risk of coordinated repression, surveillance and hybrid threats in EU territory; and that Belarusian state media dominates the information landscape. The resolution demanded that the Lukashenka regime immediately cease its repression, including the surveillance of exiles and demonstrators, and release and rehabilitate all political prisoners. It strongly condemned the continued expansion of repression by the Lukashenka regime, which now targets Belarusians abroad with criminal prosecution, asset seizures and other measures designed to silence dissent and called for EU-wide legal support and protection for exiled Belarusians by simplifying procedures for obtaining visas, resident permits and provisional IDs for individuals made stateless by extraterritorial persecution. The European Parliament reiterated its non-recognition of Lukashenka and considered the persecution of Belarusian citizens for peaceful democratic activities abroad via the Investigative Committee’s “special proceedings” to be a direct violation of the member states’ territorial sovereignty and urged the countries concerned to disregard Interpol arrest warrants for the extradition of Lukashenka’s political opponents. It welcomed the sanctions on the President Property Management Directorate and the Central Election Commission, which issued politically motivated judgments, urged the immediate imposition of personal sanctions on all members of the Belarusian Investigative Committee and officials from other state institutions complicit in the transnational persecution and intimidation of Belarusian citizens; strongly advocated the swift development and enforcement of a legal mechanism to identify, freeze and confiscate all assets and property outside Belarus owned by Lukashenka and his inner circle, with a view to reallocating them to a fund supporting victims of repression. It urged the member states to impose further sanctions equal to those imposed on Russia, particularly on officials responsible for transnational repression; urged the EU and its member states to increase political, financial and technical support for the independent media, human rights defenders, trade unions and civil society initiatives operating within and outside Belarus, including monitoring trials and increasing the visibility of political prisoners; called on the High Representative/Vice President  to use the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre and the European Digital Media Observatory to counteract Belarusian intelligence operations and disinformation; and urged the International Criminal Court to expedite proceedings on crimes against humanity by the Lukashenka regime. It also demanded that member states pursue accountability through national proceedings, based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

During its 58^th session, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a Draft Resolution. A/HRC/58/L.10 “Situation of human rights in Belarus”. The Draft Resolution, among other, strongly urged the Belarusian authorities to comply fully with all their obligations under international human rights law; called upon Belarus to consider re-acceding to the individual complaint procedure under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to re-accede to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters; decided to extend the mandates of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and of the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus; and urged the Belarusian authorities to establish full and non-selective engagement with all UN human rights mechanisms, including by granting them all free, full and unhindered access to the country, providing them with the information necessary for the fulfilment of their mandates and implementing their recommendations, to ensure meaningful cooperation with and extend full and unhindered access to the Office of the High Commissioner, to implement the recommendations accepted by Belarus during previous cycles of the Universal Periodic Review and to refrain from all forms of intimidation and reprisals against persons and associations for their cooperation with those bodies and mechanisms. The resolution was adopted several days after the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus had presented its first report to the Human Rights Council. Importantly, the resolution noted “with grave concern that, according to the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus, building on the findings of the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, some of the violations committed in Belarus may amount to crimes against humanity, specifically imprisonment and persecution on political grounds, in that they were committed intentionally as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a segment of the civilian population, with knowledge of the attack”. The resolution stressed “the need for accountability for human rights violations and abuses, which is critical for the prevention of further violations and abuses and for the recognition of victims, guaranteeing that they have access to justice and effective remedy, including reparation, through restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition”, and expressed “profound concern over the blatant lack of accountability for human rights violations in Belarus”.

The European Union announced the launch of a support program for those who have suffered from political persecution and have lost their source of income and educational opportunities. The support in the amount of up to 10,000 Euro to settle down in exile can be received within the framework of the EU4Belarus – SALT program.

On March 31, during a broadcast on CTV, Belarusian officials stated that school graduation ceremonies should focus not on entertainment but on expressing gratitude to the country’s leadership. Minister of Education Andrei Ivanets, evidently drawing from Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s decree on the organization of such events issued last year, emphasized that limousines should not be part of the celebrations, describing them as a “pseudo-tradition alien to our country.” Meanwhile, Minsk city official Volha Smirnova said that graduation should be celebrated within school premises since it is a school-related occasion. “Graduation and the last bell are events where children can creatively thank one another, their teachers, their school, local authorities, and the national leadership for their significant attention to education and upbringing,” she noted.

On April 1, pro-government political scientist Usevalad Shymau, currently affiliated with the Russian Academy of Sciences, suggested in an interview with Sputnik Belarus that Belarus should adopt a more proactive foreign policy. He argued that non-interference in neighboring countries’ affairs is “an incorrect approach,” advocating instead for fostering and supporting like-minded allies abroad. “Everyone interferes. If you want to build relations with another country, you need to identify friendly actors and help them come to power. That is a basic principle,” Shymau said. At the same time, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ruslan Varankou described Latvia’s plans to build a nuclear power plant in partnership with Lithuania and Estonia as “yet another example of inconsistent and short-sighted policy.” He accused Vilnius of waging a “hybrid war” against Belarus, allegedly in response to the commissioning of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant. “And yet, we now see that the same Baltic countries are discussing the economic feasibility and environmental safety of nuclear energy. We had offered them cooperation in energy supply, kept them connected to the BRELL grid, and even proposed to jointly build and operate a plant in Belarus,” he said, adding that “the Baltic politicos” perceived this as a threat.

The so-called Union State between Belarus and Russia was the central theme in pro-government messaging over the past week, coinciding with the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia. State-affiliated figures justified the “historical necessity” of the alliance, praised its achievements, and projected its further development. Aliaksandr Shpakouski, an employee at the Belarusian Embassy in Moscow, wrote on Telegram that “the Belarusian people’s choice in favor of a union with Russia is absolutely justified and irreversible,” calling the Union State “a flagship of integration in Northern Eurasia”. Minsk City Council member Vadzim Baravik claimed that citizens of both countries no longer feel any difference when crossing the border. “We can study, work, and access healthcare services in both states. These are tangible benefits of the union,” he said, adding that the “two sovereign states — one homeland” principle has proven effective. Pro-government expert Piotr Piatrouski argued that the Union State should not remain limited to just two countries, proposing its expansion. “It should not become a geopolitical backwater. There have been prior attempts to include other states, such as Yugoslavia in 2000, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan. We should now intensify our diplomatic efforts to attract more countries — possibly beyond the post-Soviet space,” he said. In his view, such expansion would help achieve goals related to “social progress and a shared future,” offering an alternative to both Western “liberal-globalist” agendas and the “dark conservatism of Trumpism.” Pro-government politician Aleh Haidukevich called the alliance with Russia “an axiom” that strengthens Belarusian sovereignty. He contrasted this with “certain neighbors” that chose to align with the EU and the West, claiming that Belarus has since become economically stronger and militarily more secure. “No one will defeat the military alliance of Belarus and Russia,” he asserted, adding that the West disregarded Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and NATO.

On April 3, State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandr Valfovich stated that the overall state of national security remains positive but is under pressure due to a “tense and escalating” foreign policy environment. He accused neighboring countries of increasing militarization. “We see what’s happening near our borders in the western direction. Our neighbors — Poland and the Baltics — are ramping up their military rhetoric and deployments. Recently, intelligence has shown that new units and reconnaissance battalions are being stationed in the Suwalki corridor,” he noted. Valfovich dismissed these actions as “absurd,” saying Belarus has allegedly not increased its defense spending or military drills.

Also on April 3, the House of Representatives hosted Ulrich Singer, a member of the Bavarian Parliament representing the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland). Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Aleh Haidukevich said that Singer had come to Minsk at the invitation of the so-called Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus, which he chairs. According to the House of Representatives press release, Singer supports “traditional family values, controlled migration, stronger EU border management, and restoring energy supply routes to counter deindustrialization in Germany.” He also opposes sanctions against Belarus and advocates for stronger EU–Belarus ties. The sides agreed that “Europe will be strong and prosperous only together with Belarus, in peace and genuine independence.”

In early April, Belarusian Ambassador to Switzerland Aliaksandr Hanevich told RIA Novosti that Belarus, as “a sovereign state under President Lukashenka’s leadership”, should not be excluded from discussions on European and Eurasian security. “We are ready to cooperate with anyone who shares our goal of preserving human life. Any attempt to resolve regional security issues without Russia and Belarus is utopian,” he said. Commenting on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Hanevich claimed that Western pressure derailed the 2022 negotiations hosted in Belarus. “Thanks to our head of state, three rounds of talks were held. Unfortunately, the West forced the collapse of these efforts, even though the parties had reached some preliminary agreements,” he stated. The ambassador also criticized Switzerland for strictly enforcing Western sanctions against both Belarus and Russia.

On April 6, Deputy Minister of Information Dzianis Yazerski told Minsk-News that the government plans to further expand the list of publications classified as “extremist.” He noted that most authors of such literature are from the United States and European Union countries.

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