Belarus Review by iSANS — April 13, 2026 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, no UAV flights were recorded in Belarusian airspace between 6 and 12 April.

Representatives of the Higher College of National Defence of the Sultanate of Oman are visiting Belarus. The Belarusian Ministry of Defence reported this on 6 April. The delegation includes students as well as academic staff of the institution. Briefings were organised for the Omani delegation on key aspects of Belarus’s defence and foreign policy. Current issues of bilateral cooperation were also discussed. During the visit, the delegation toured, among others, the National Academy of Sciences, the Hi-Tech Park, the Military Academy, and several enterprises.

On 6 April, the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Taalatbek Masadykov visited Minsk and held meetings with Aliaksandr Lukashenka, Minister of Defence Viktar Khrenin, and others. The main focus of the talks was the military-political situation in the CSTO area of responsibility and practical steps to strengthen collective security.

During the meeting, Lukashenka stated that in the event of a conflict in the western direction, Russia should have a “core of armed forces” stationed there to support the Belarusian army, while in the southern direction the main burden would fall on Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan with Moscow’s support. He also linked the discussion to the recent large-scale combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian armed forces and stressed the need to be prepared for the “worst-case scenario” in advance. He added that in the event of a conflict in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan would not be involved “100%” with its armed forces, but could provide political and partial military support.

From 7 to 30 April, a training assembly is being held with reservists of the territorial troops in Dokshytsy district of Vitebsk region. The military information agency Vayar reported this. The exercise includes the call-up of reservists and their training for territorial defence tasks, as well as the restoration of command personnel skills in managing subordinate units. The main focus is on practising territorial defence tasks jointly with units of the Belarusian armed forces, including the use of active and passive counter-UAV measures. This is the first such assembly of territorial troops in 2026.

A tactical exercise with the 1146th anti-aircraft missile regiment is underway under the leadership of Andrei Sieviarynchyk, head of the anti-aircraft missile troops department of the Air Force and Air Defence command. The Ministry of Defence reported this on 8 April. The drills involve the use of Tor-M2K air defence systems together with mobile fire groups in new deployment areas to repel air strikes. According to Sieviarynchyk, the exercises focus on protecting key facilities and troops “in any region of Belarus.” He also emphasised that special attention is being given to preparing personnel to counter UAVs using small arms and electronic warfare systems. In this regard, emphasis is placed on the “creation of mobile fire groups” and their equipping with “modern means.”

It is worth recalling that in November 2025, Air Force and Air Defence Commander Andrei Lukyanovich stated that more than 50 ad hoc mobile fire groups had been created to counter UAVs. These groups are equipped with gun turrets, electronic warfare systems, and drone detection devices.

On 8 April, Andrei Sieviarynchyk stated that around 2,000 servicemen are “performing combat duty tasks and ensuring coverage of state borders in the airspace.” This statement was published by the Ministry of Defence press service. In comparison, in May 2023, Air Force and Air Defence Commander Andrei Lukyanovich stated that between 750 and 1,000 personnel were deployed daily for air defence combat duty. In April 2012, the figure stood at around 500 servicemen. In other words, over the past three years, the number of personnel involved in air defence combat duty has approximately doubled. One likely reason is the regular incursions of UAVs into Belarusian airspace.

On 9 April, a new border outpost complex “Hdzien” was opened in the area of responsibility of the Homiel border group. This was reported by the State Border Committee. The unit has been guarding the state border since November 2022 and controls more than 15 km of the land border in the Bragin district. A key feature of the site is its proximity to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located 30 km away. The protected section is equipped with modern technical systems, including the “Voron” fibre-optic system, automated surveillance posts, and a tracking strip. In total, 15 border outposts were built or fully modernised in 2021–2026 (most of them in Homiel region, along the border with Ukraine).

In the near future, Polonez multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) will be introduced into service with the 231st artillery brigade of the North-Western Operational Command. This was reported by the brigade’s Telegram channel. It was noted that the MLRS will significantly expand the brigade’s capabilities for long-range strikes and increase its role within the missile strike system. Personnel have been training to operate these systems for several years.

The first reports about transferring Polonez MLRS to the 231st artillery brigade appeared in August 2023. In November 2023, the head of missile troops and artillery of the Belarusian armed forces also announced plans to re-equip the 231st and 111th artillery brigades with these systems. It should be noted that currently the most powerful and longest-range fire system available to the Ground Forces’ operational commands remains the Uragan MLRS.

From 7 to 9 April, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paid a working visit to Spain, where she held meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Senate Speaker Pedro Rollán Ojeda, and delivered a lecture at IE University. The main topics of the visit included support for political prisoners and those released, issues faced by Belarusians in Spain, cooperation with the democratic forces of Belarus, and support for Ukraine. During the meeting with the Foreign Minister, the sides agreed on Spain’s second contribution to the International Humanitarian Fund and confirmed the opening this year of the Office of the Belarusian Democratic Forces in Madrid, to be headed by Tatsiana Marinich. During the meeting with the Senate Speaker, discussions focused on the creation of a parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus” and the possibility of signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Spanish Senate. The meeting with the Prime Minister addressed, in particular, the humanitarian track, relations with Ukraine, and issues of legalisation of Belarusians. Tsikhanouskaya also separately thanked the Spanish authorities for recognising expired Belarusian passports.

On 12 April, Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation, during which they discussed bilateral relations, upcoming high-level contacts, and the regional and international agenda. Particular attention was paid to preparations for the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, scheduled to take place in June in Minsk and Minsk region and focused on economic cooperation. Cooperation in the Belarus–Russia–DPRK format was also discussed separately: following Lukashenka’s March visit to Pyongyang, the sides reportedly identified several promising areas and are now considering launching specific trilateral projects. Lukashenka also confirmed his participation in the 9 May military parade in Moscow.

On 9 April, Lukashenka held a major personnel appointment day, during which the most notable reshuffles affected the information and ideological bloc. Former Minister of Information Marat Markau was moved to the post of Minister of Culture, Dzmitry Zhuk was appointed as the new Minister of Information, and Andrei Makhor became Director of Information Agency BelTA. The nature of the reshuffles indicates an effort to more closely integrate the cultural sphere with ideology and propaganda. When appointing Markau, Lukashenka explicitly demanded a “revival” of Belarusian cinema, effectively subordinating it to state ideological demand. Zhuk, in turn, was instructed to continue the “war on the ideological front,” signalling the continuation of a mobilisation mode in the media sphere. At the same time, Aliaksandr Tserakhau was appointed Deputy Prime Minister responsible for construction, housing and utilities, as well as transport.

On 7 April, Lukashenka held a meeting on the development of the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation (BNBC) and sharply criticised its performance despite substantial state support. According to him, USD 80 million had been injected into the company’s charter capital, while preferential Chinese government loans amounted to around USD 600 million. However, BNBC has still not reached full capacity at its biochemical and feed production facilities and continues to face an acute shortage of working capital. The only notable success cited by Lukashenka was the expansion of export geography from six to 12 countries. Following the meeting, it was decided to establish a working group headed by Prime Minister Aliaksandr Turchyn, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences Uladzimir Karanik, and Deputy Chairman of the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly Aliaksandr Kasinets. The group was tasked with preparing a further development plan for the corporation, including a BNBC-3 project, potentially based either on a new preferential Chinese loan or direct participation of a Chinese partner.

On 10 April, Lukashenka received credentials from ambassadors of 10 states — Japan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Somalia, Palestine, DPRK, Egypt, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Algeria. In his remarks, he used the ceremony to deliver standard foreign policy messaging on global conflicts, the crisis of international law, and Belarus’s readiness to develop bilateral ties in trade, investment, education, and other areas.

Meanwhile, the hybrid crisis between Belarus and Lithuania persists despite elements of de-escalation.

The key practical process remains the return of Lithuanian trucks. According to the Belarusian State Customs Committee, as of 9 April around 1,300 vehicles had left the country, while more than 500 remain in Belarus. Vilnius, for its part, is seeking to minimise the impact on business while avoiding any dilution of sanctions policy. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that the return is possible “through legal means,” despite warnings about potential violations of EU sanctions when paying for services to state customs agency Beltamozhservice. The decision to allow the returns was made following contacts with the United States, while exit is only possible after paying storage fees, previously set at up to EUR 120 per day (later reduced).

At the same time, discussions are ongoing in Lithuania on strengthening sanctions pressure against Belarus. The Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs has deemed current measures insufficient and initiated discussions on additional restrictions, including the possible alignment of regimes applied to Belarusian and Russian citizens. At the same time, Foreign Minister Budrys described the existing restrictions as sufficient.

Against this background, an important shift has taken place. While maintaining tough rhetoric, Lithuania acknowledges the existence of regular contacts with Minsk. According to Budrys, communication occurs “almost daily” through diplomatic and institutional channels, including the exchange of protest notes. This indicates a gradual transition from isolation to de facto interaction.

The key source of tension remains the situation at the border. On 10 April, Lithuanian authorities discovered a tunnel under the border fence, through which a group of 30 people attempted to cross. 27 were detained, with a helicopter, UAVs, and canine units involved in the operation. The involvement of intermediaries and attempts to organise further transportation of migrants within the EU were also noted. The aerial component of pressure persists as well: on 9–10 April, around 20 meteorological balloons were recorded in Lithuanian airspace, leading to restrictions at Vilnius Airport for more than seven hours. At the same time, there has been a return to simpler smuggling methods, including manually throwing bags of cigarettes across the border.

At the regional level, asymmetry persists. On the Polish section of the border, zero activity has been observed since 26 March, with Polish authorities stating that pressure has decreased by 96% compared to 2022. Meanwhile, Lithuania and Latvia continue to experience sustained pressure, including peaks of over 100 attempts per day.

Overall, the return of trucks has somewhat reduced the intensity of the crisis. It has also opened the possibility of pragmatic Minsk–Vilnius interaction without political preconditions. At the same time, the core elements of the crisis remain unchanged.

On 11 April, Minister of Information Dzmitry Zhuk stated that the regime does not currently consider blocking YouTube expedient, despite the recent removal of channels belonging to three large state media outlets (BelTA, STV, ONT). According to him, the decision not to block the platform reflects Lukashenka’s position, as he opposes such restrictions (in Belarus, access to 18,000 information resources is restricted, 7,000 are designated as “extremist,” and more than 100 books are banned — note). At the same time, Zhuk noted that YouTube remains a useful and mass platform for Belarusian audiences, and therefore “work needs to be done” there. He also made it clear that the final decision regarding YouTube is not based on a “us vs them” logic, but on considerations of state security: if the platform is assessed by the authorities as posing a threat to state interests and sovereignty, the issue of blocking could be resolved without hesitation.

At the same time, shortly before leaving office, former Minister of Information Marat Markau added the American Center Minsk Instagram account — an online resource of the U.S. Embassy — to the list of extremist materials. The decision illustrates the anti-American stance of the regime’s repressive and propaganda wing.

Analysts at the Eurasian Development Bank note a steady slowdown in inflation in Belarus: in March, the annual rate stood at 5.4%, down from 5.6% in February, marking the fourth consecutive month of decelerating price growth. The main contribution came from slower food price growth, including more moderate increases in prices for seasonal vegetables and fruit, while inflation in services, by contrast, accelerated due to the carry-over of housing and utilities tariff increases into March. The EDB notes that the decline in core inflation indicates the stability of disinflationary processes and suggests that inflation is likely to remain within the target level of up to 7% in 2026. At the same time, the current dynamics point not only to price stabilisation but also to a gradual cooling of domestic demand and economic activity.

Belarus continues the institutionalisation of the cryptocurrency sector: with the launch of crypto banks, they are expected to be allowed to operate with around 25 cryptocurrencies, including both major assets (Bitcoin, Ethereum) and selected stablecoins. At the same time, the National Bank is not considering issuing rouble-denominated stablecoins, instead prioritising the introduction of a digital Belarusian rouble, which is expected to be launched in the second half of the year. The legislative framework for crypto banks is due to enter into force by mid-summer, after which applications from investors will begin to be accepted. Interest in the project is already being shown by both Belarusian companies and foreign actors linked to them. Crypto banks are expected to operate broadly along the lines of traditional banks, with similar prudential requirements, but taking into account the high volatility of crypto assets and the risks of fraud. The expansion of this area, alongside earlier decisions to legalise crypto banks, indicates an effort by the authorities to use digital financial instruments to adapt to sanctions constraints and facilitate cross-border transactions. The sector in Minsk is overseen by Deputy Chairman of the National Bank Aliaksandr Yahorau.

In external economic policy, Belarus continued its outreach along the so-called “far arc”, primarily in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. On 9 April, National Bank Chairman Raman Halouchanka held talks with Ibrahim Al-Eisri, Chief Investment Officer of the Oman Investment Authority, where the sides discussed major investment projects, including the “food basket of the future” initiative and the creation of a hub for Belarusian goods in Oman. At the same time, the sides are moving forward with the practical implementation of specific projects. In 2026, Belarus plans to launch assembly of Belarusian machinery (MAZ, Amkador) in Oman’s free economic zones, as well as to develop food processing projects and production localisation. The key investment project remains the construction of a pulp and cardboard plant worth around USD 1.4 billion. There has also been an expansion of Belarus’s diplomatic and political presence. Belarus sent a parliamentary delegation headed by Ihar Siahiejenka to the inauguration of the president of Myanmar. An embassy in the DPRK is due to open before 1 August. Contacts with Algeria and Somalia are also developing in trade, investment, and technical cooperation.

It became known that Hleb Rybchanka, an IT specialist from Wargaming, was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment in an enhanced regime colony for political reasons. The verdict was handed down by the Hrodna Regional Court in late 2025 or early 2026. After the appeal, the Supreme Court changed the term to 14 years of imprisonment in conditions of enhanced regime. Rybchanka was accused of “inciting hostility”, “insulting Lukashenka”, “slandering Lukashenka”, “discrediting Belarus”, “calling for actions aimed at harming Belarus”, “participating in a terrorist organisation”, “preparing to commit a terrorist act by an organised group or as a result of which a person died”, and “preparation for rendering the communication routes or vehicle unusable”. The case might concern actions aimed at supporting Ukraine.

On 31 March, the KGB recognised the Belarusian Helsinki Committee as an “extremist formation”. On 6 April, information about it was added to the list maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee’s website, its social networks, and email addresses were also included in the list. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee is one of the oldest human rights organisations in the country. It was founded in 1995. The founders were well-known public and cultural figures: writers Vasil Bykau, Ryhor Baradulin, Sviatlana Aleksievich, Hennadz Buraukin, translator Carlos Sherman, and others. In September 2021, the authorities deprived the Belarusian Helsinki Committee of registration, and in October the Supreme Court liquidated it. However, it continued its activities, and in July 2022, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee received consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, becoming the first Belarusian non-governmental organisation with such status.

Since 2020, at least 2,020 Belarusian public associations, institutions or foundations have been liquidated or are in the process of liquidation, according to Lawtrend’s monitoring of the situation with freedom of association and of civil society organisations in the Republic of Belarus for March 2026. According to Lawtrend, at least 1,239 organisations were in the process of forced liquidation at the end of March, while 781 had self-liquidated.

“Viasna” Human Rights Centre reported that at least 184 confirmed defendants in the Belarusian Hajun case have been placed in custody. It noted that the total number of detainees is significantly higher — human rights defenders are aware of a number of recent detentions. The trials within the framework of Belarusian Hajun case take place almost daily. Since the beginning of the year, 278 people convicted of “facilitating extremism” have been added to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ “list of extremists” –  the vast majority of them were involved in the Hajun case. According to “Viasna”, most of the defendants in the case were sentenced to limitation of freedom, but there are also cases of imprisonment.

Some people from the published list of political prisoners pardoned on 19 March have not been released. The Dissidentby Initiative reported that it is aware of several such cases. Due to mistakes made by correctional institutions, the lists of people who were released mismatched in cases when people bore the same or similar surnames. This was the situation with Dzmitry Navazhilau, the former director of the BelaPAN news agency, in whose place Uladzislau Navazhantsau was released, and Aliaksandr Makhnach, a defendant in the Belarusian Hajun case, in whose place political prisoner Uladzimir Makhnach was released. Human rights activists are aware of cases when people were already put on a bus or were being prepared for release, but then were returned to the colony by the administration.

A coalition of Belarusian human rights organisations issued a statement regarding the cancellation of the passports of former political prisoners forcibly expelled from Belarus after their release in September and December 2025. The cancellation of passports is not just a refusal by the state to protect its citizens, but a deliberate abuse of power, the statement claimed. People who have already been subjected to criminal prosecution and forced expulsion thus face additional repression. The absence of a valid passport effectively deprives a person of a legal and social identity, restricts freedom of movement, and the right to family life and property. Human rights activists also point out that the cancellation of passports can be considered as part of a state policy, which, in the context of the investigation of the International Criminal Court on the Lithuania/Belarus situation, qualifies as an element of crimes against humanity.

The apartment of economist Pavel Daneyka, convicted in absentia, was put up for sale. The announcement of the auction appeared on the site of Belyubespecheniye. In February 2025, the Minsk City Court handed down a sentence against Daneyka, by which he was sentenced to twelve years of imprisonment, as well as fined 13,000 basic units (approximately 665,000 Euro). According to the prosecution, Daneyka joined the Coordination Council in August 2020 and “as its member, took active actions to achieve the goals of an unconstitutional seizure of state power”. The auction for the sale of the apartment will be held on 23 April. The seizure and sale of property of those convicted in absentia is one of the tools of transnational repression carried out by the Lukashenka regime.

The apartment of Aliaksei Patsko, a judge of the Pinsky district and the city of Pinsk, who refused to hear cases against protesters in 2020, was suspended from work, then fired, and forced to leave the country, is being sold at a state auction. The apartment is now under arrest. The auction is scheduled for 7 April. Patsko confirmed that the apartment belongs to him. He stated that he has not received any documents on the sale of the apartment and therefore does not know the details of how the apartment ended up at auction. The real estate was acquired through a preferential loan, therefore, the bank is formally considered its owner. Aliaksei Patsko regularly pays off the loan.

On 7 April, 17 more people were recognised as political prisoners, “Viasna” Human Rights Centre reported. They have been detained or convicted in connection with cooperation with “extremist formations” and the exercise of freedom of expression. As of 7 April, 922 people have been recognised as political prisoners in Belarus.

Catholic priest Anatol Parakhnevich, rector of a small parish in Alkovichi, Vileika district, remains in custody. He was detained in mid-March. It is still unknown why he was detained and what he is accused of. There have been no official reports from the Catholic Church on this matter.

Most of those detained in the case of book publishers and book distributors, including Vaclau Bagdanovich, the founder of the Technalohiya publishing house, his daughter Victoryja, and Dzmitry Sanko, a 75-year-old publishing veteran, were released. Translator and publisher Zmiter Kolas, who has been charged with leading an “extremist formation”, remains behind bars. Andrei Kim, another cultural figure who was detained at the same time as the book publishers, was subjected to administrative arrest.

The telegram chat “Kalyadzichi SIZO No. 1”, the largest chat for the support of relatives of prisoners, which consists of about 1,800 people, was declared an “extremist formation”.  On 19 March, the Central Court of Minsk declared the chat to be “extremist materials”. The same “formation” included other chats in Telegram and Viber, in which relatives of prisoners communicated. Thus, almost all virtual communities of prisoners’ relatives in various social networks were included in the list of “extremist formations”. Yana Halagan, a staff member at “Viasna” Human Rights Centre, commented that the chat was an important source of information for relatives of both political and non-political prisoners. Relatives of the prisoners, many of whom are abroad, discussed how to send parcels and what the queues at the detention centre were like. “This is another attempt to hide the real picture of repression. This harmless chat has increased from 500 to 1,800 participants over the past two years. The declaration of the chat, created by relatives of the prisoners to exchange important information, as an extremist formation indicated the desire of the Lukashenka regime to once again try to destroy solidarity within Belarus,” she said. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Adviser on Legal Affairs Leanid Marozau commented that this decision jeopardises the safety of 1,800 chat participants. “This means that now all relatives of prisoners who seek or provide assistance can be persecuted,” he said. He drew attention to the fact that not only relatives of political prisoners, but also those whose relatives are being held in isolation for one reason or another are in danger. “When discussing transfers to pre-trial detention and the queues at the detention centre becomes ‘extremism’, any mutual assistance can be criminalised. This is another attempt to isolate people, deprive them of support and hide the real scale of repression,” Marozau said. “That is why it is important for us to continue talking about repression. While what is happening is known, it is more difficult to isolate people, and to hide the repressive system,” he concluded.

On 10 April, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added 37 more people to the “List of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”. Among others, Yahor Buzhilau, director of the Belaruskicry jewellery brand, was included in the list. In March 2026, the court sentenced him to four years of restriction of freedom for participation in an “extremist formation”. There are now 6,505 names on the list.

On 9 April, security forces came to the Minsk office of the famous architectural company ZROBIM architects. All the employees who were on the spot, about 50 people, were detained. A telegram channel close to the security forces linked the arrests to the publication made by the company’s co-founder, Andrei Makouski, in Threads. He wrote about a letter from government agencies which obligated him to hire an ideologist to the company’s staff. “Ideologist on staff was bothering him. (…) Well, the result was not long in coming. (…) If he had not scoffed in Threads, the intervention would not be so radical,” the propaganda resource wrote. On 10 April, the detentions continued. Those employees who had not been present in the office during the first visit of the security forces were called to their workplaces. The investigative actions were carried out by employees of the Financial Investigations Department of the State Control Committee. Most of the detained employees have been released. Andrei Makouski remains in custody. ZROBIM architects is known for its projects in modern architecture and design, and operates both in Belarus and abroad. The studio actively maintains its social networks and blog, where it shares new projects and news. The company regularly receives prestigious international awards.

Belarus took 153-155 places in the Cloudwards’ study of internet freedom, sharing them with Oman and Bangladesh. They have only 20 points out of 100. The leaders of the free Internet are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, New Zealand and other countries with 92 points. Researchers, who compiled the rating, noted that the Belarusian authorities use Internet censorship as a means of combating dissent. In this regard, it was compared with China, Iran and Turkmenistan.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will prepare a report on the situation in Belarus. The report will be titled “The role of local and regional authorities in supporting Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in exile”. “The main political purpose of this report is to identify the role of European local and regional authorities in protecting and supporting Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in exile, as well as to make recommendations on integration,” the Coordination Council said. The document will be based on a resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and is aimed at encouraging active participation of Belarusians in local European communities processes.

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Best regards, iSANS team