Belarus Review by iSANS — April 20, 2026 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, between 13 and 19 April six UAV flights were recorded in Belarusian airspace — five Russian and one Ukrainian. Air Force duty units of the Belarusian armed forces were deployed to intercept them. No reports of crashes or shootdowns were recorded.

On 13 April, personnel from one of the units of the 11th Mechanised Brigade (Slonim) visited a “museum of the special military operation” in Nizhny Novgorod, according to the Telegram channel of the Western Operational Command. The channel claimed that such events help strengthen patriotic consciousness, preserve historical memory, and foster respect for the “feat of the defenders of the Fatherland”. This appears to confirm that the personnel sent to Russia for training, as reported by the Belarusian Ministry of Defence on 1 April, were servicemen of the 11th Mechanised Brigade, presumably from the 7th Separate Tank Battalion. At that time, the ministry stated that troops from one of the Belarusian army’s tank units had been dispatched to the 333rd Combat Training Centre in Russia. The brigade’s personnel had previously trained at the 333rd centre twice, in April 2023 and April 2024.

Under the leadership of Minister of Defence Viktar Khrenin, the first stage of summarising the results of the comprehensive combat readiness inspection of the Belarusian armed forces was held (the inspection took place from late January to late March). The Ministry of Defence reported this on 15 April. In his remarks, Khrenin stated that the inspection had a number of specific features and, for the first time, concluded with a comprehensive exercise involving a formation (the Western Operational Command). The main objective was to assess the readiness of the operational command’s headquarters, as well as subordinate communications, security, support units, and a mechanised brigade, to transition from peacetime to wartime conditions. Separately, Khrenin emphasised that particular attention was paid to improving unit survivability in the face of sabotage and reconnaissance groups and UAV operations.

Specialists of OJSC “Display Design Bureau” developed the ADUNOK-M24 robotic universal platform. This was reported on 15 April by the State Military-Industrial Committee. Its main capabilities include reconnaissance and terrain inspection, patrol missions, transport of cargo and wounded personnel, fire support for units, and equipping checkpoints. The platform is produced in several configurations, including variants with combat modules, as well as cargo and medical evacuation versions. It is remotely controlled via radio channel or fibre-optic cable using a control panel and FPV goggles. Its 4×4 wheel configuration, with the option to install two tracks, ensures high mobility.

A battalion tactical exercise was conducted with one of the battalions of the 103rd airborne brigade. This was reported on 16 April by the brigade’s Telegram channel. During the exercise, servicemen carried out a set of tactical tasks and practised new approaches to combat operations, including the use of reinforcement assets, integration of UAVs, and the use of helicopter search-and-assault groups in assaults on fortified positions of a mock adversary.

A command-staff exercise is underway in the 8th brigade of radiation, chemical and biological protection. The Ministry of Defence reported this on 16 April. The main focus is on assessing the radiation, chemical, and biological situation, deploying special decontamination points, reducing the visibility of objects to protect against UAVs, and repelling an attack by a mock adversary. The use of UAVs for reconnaissance and aerosol masking is also being practised. The exercise is taking place in the Staradarozhsky district of Minsk region.

On 17 April, Aliaksandr Lukashenka signed a decree on calling up reserve officers for military service. According to the Ministry of Defence, in 2026 it is planned to conscript reserve officers under the age of 27 who have not completed compulsory military service into the Armed Forces of Belarus and the border service. The measure is intended to increase staffing levels in junior officer positions and to ensure the training of a mobilisation reserve.

The conscription of reserve officers has been practised since 1994 and has been conducted annually without interruption since 2016. Since 2022, the number of conscripts has been increasing and reached 1,000 in 2024. From 2024, the authorities stopped disclosing the number of reserve officers called up.

On 17 April, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that, according to intelligence data, road construction towards Ukrainian territory and the establishment of artillery positions are underway in Belarusian border areas. In his view, Russia may once again attempt to draw Belarus into the war. Zelenskyy also said that he had instructed relevant channels to warn the “de facto leadership of Belarus” about Ukraine’s readiness to defend its territory and independence. He added that the nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should deter the Belarusian leadership from making mistakes.

On 19 April, Andrii Demchenko, a representative of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, stated that the threat from Belarus to Ukraine persists, although no significant activity involving movements of equipment or personnel of the Belarusian or Russian armed forces has been observed near the border. A “certain number of forces” (Belarusian special operations forces and internal troops) remain stationed in the area. As Demchenko noted, this situation has persisted since 2022, with units periodically rotating but not increasing in number. “The threat from the territory of Belarus has not disappeared. Moreover, Belarus continues to support Russia. And, of course, intelligence units must actively monitor developments within Belarus itself,” he concluded.

On 19 April, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, in an interview with RT, stated that tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus are a “factor of protection and security,” not a means of intimidation. He underlined that Belarus and Russia are “legally bound to each other” and that Moscow is ready to use its entire arsenal to defend Belarus. According to Lukashenka, a grouping has already been created in western Russia capable of “instantly” supporting the Belarusian army. “We do not want war,” he concluded.

A meeting was held in Vilnius between representatives of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, the United Transitional Cabinet, and civil society with Matthew Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. During the talks, the parties discussed the development of draft constitutional provisions and legislation on local self-government, the expansion of parliamentary groups “For a Democratic Belarus,” and the creation of cooperation formats with European municipalities, including a possible mayors’ conference. Attention was paid to supporting political prisoners and their reintegration, including proposals to move from fragmented assistance to systemic municipal programmes. Following the meeting, the sides discussed preparing a memorandum of cooperation and developing practical recommendations for European municipalities on supporting Belarusians, as well as the Congress’s involvement in integration initiatives for former political prisoners.

Elections to the fourth convocation of the Coordination Council are scheduled for 11–17 May 2026. They will be held online via a dedicated digital platform. Belarusian citizens aged 18 and over will be able to participate after verification, including using expired passports and the New Belarus passport. The elections will be conducted under a proportional system with party lists, with a gender quota of at least 40% for the less represented gender and a 3% electoral threshold; a total of 80 delegates will be elected. A total of 9 electoral subjects and 174 candidates have been registered (compared to 12 entities and 265 candidates in 2024), reflecting consolidation and regrouping of political forces. According to organisers and observers, the key challenge remains low turnout, previously at around 0.1% of potential voters.

On 19 April, Aliaksandr Lukashenka gave an extensive interview to Russian propaganda agency RT, in which he commented on both the international and domestic agenda, once again combining anti-Western rhetoric with signals of readiness for a deal with the United States. In the foreign policy part, he confirmed that Minsk continues negotiations with Washington on a “grand bargain,” linking it to sanctions and the release of political prisoners, and stated his readiness to meet Donald Trump after the parameters of a potential agreement are worked out in advance. At the same time, Lukashenka emphasised that dialogue with the United States is not conducted against Russia or China, described Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping as close partners, and also spoke positively about Kim Jong Un. In the interview, he sharply criticised the European Union, described the United States as a “dictatorship,” and claimed that Belarus has “more real democracy” than the West. In the domestic section, Lukashenka reflected on a possible reform of the system of state governance, again contrasting the Belarusian model with Western multiparty systems, and argued that broad presidential powers are justified by responsibility to the people. Overall, the interview confirmed the regime’s attempt to simultaneously maintain a negotiation channel with the United States, demonstrate loyalty to its alliance with Moscow and Beijing, and preserve a mobilisation-oriented anti-Western framework in domestic propaganda.

Top five quotes from Lukashenka’s interview:

1. On the “grand bargain” with the United States
“Americans must understand that sanctions have not achieved their purpose. We have adapted, so ‘political prisoners’, sanctions… listen, this is a minor issue. We have far more matters that need to be resolved. And this is the subject of a grand bargain. As soon as we prepare it at a lower level, we are ready to meet Donald and sign this agreement.”

2. On negotiations with the United States not being against Russia and China
“I conduct dialogue with the Americans not against Russia and not against China. At the first meeting, I told them: guys, Russia and China are our long-standing partners — not just partners, but friends. And when you, Americans and Europeans, imposed sanctions on us, China and Russia opened the door for us. We were effectively saved thanks to this.”

3. On Putin
“With Putin, we are more than just friends. We communicate like brothers. He wants to see me and be friends with me. I gladly maintain this friendship with Putin.”

4. On a possible meeting with Trump
“If the American side sees that tomorrow there will be a meeting of a vassal with an emperor, that will not happen. This is not some kind of pompousness or ‘cocky’ politics. No — this is the policy of a real president who respects his own people.”

5. On the domestic model of power
“As I have long said — you will have to learn democracy from us. We have a hundred times more of this democracy than you do. Real democracy, real human rights… What human rights can you talk about if you kill people? You killed a person — what rights does he have? He is dead.”

On 13 April, Aliaksandr Lukashenka congratulated Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, on his victory in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, expressing hope for the continuation of “traditions of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation” between Minsk and Budapest, as well as for Hungary to maintain a “pragmatic” and security-oriented position in international affairs. On the same day, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also congratulated Magyar, stating her readiness to work together “to strengthen a free, peaceful, and united Europe based on democracy and the rule of law.” Russia, unlike Minsk and the Belarusian democratic forces, refrained from sending congratulations, citing Hungary’s inclusion on its list of “unfriendly states.”

The agenda of the crisis on the Belarus–Lithuania border shifted towards an educational dimension, while the situation on the ground remained within the previous model of confrontation. The key political development was the designation of the Vilnius-based European Humanities University (EHU) as an “extremist organisation” by the Supreme Court of Belarus. The prosecutor’s office accused EHU of providing “methodological, financial and other” assistance to “representatives of radically politicised groups, as well as destructive foreign non-governmental organisations.” In August last year, the EHU’s website and social networks were recognised as “extremist”. Lawyers of “Viasna” Human Rights Centre called this decision political. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office stated that the accusations against EHU of “destabilisation”, “working for security services”, and “preparing Western scenarios” have no legitimate basis and are propaganda words aimed at justifying repression. The office noted that recognising EHU as “extremist” jeopardises the safety of thousands of students and staff. EHU commented that it will continue its work. “EHU is an international academic community of students, teachers and researchers united by the values of open dialogue, knowledge and freedom of speech. The University continues its activities in accordance with these principles and remains a space for education and development,” reads a statement posted on the EHU website.

The Lithuanian side reacted sharply. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys described the decision as a “hostile step,” while the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it violates international law and threatens bilateral relations. It should be noted that over the past six years, the system of research and education in Belarus has been subject to sustained ideological indoctrination by the regime and remains a constant target of repression.

At the border itself, controlled hybrid pressure of attempts at illegal border crossing persists. On 14 April, activity was recorded across all sections: 10 attempts in Lithuania, 31 in Latvia, and five on the Polish direction.

Overall, the situation indicates that, amid emerging de-escalation on the Lithuanian and U.S. tracks, the Lukashenka regime is attempting to impose its own version of a deal, in which elements of economic and diplomatic exchange do not entail restrictions on the domestic repressive and ideological practices that intensified after 2020.

On 15 April, the 25th joint meeting of the boards of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and Belarus’s KGB was held in Kaliningrad under the leadership of the heads of the two security services Sergey Naryshkin and Ivan Tertel. The meeting focused on current tasks and prospects for coordinating intelligence activities within the Union State framework. It reflected not only the political alignment of the two services, but also their convergence in three specific areas: joint assessment of external threats, coordination of activities against the West, and the use of the Union State agreements to counter domestic political opponents. According to the official SVR statement, the sides discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation, “updated tasks” in priority intelligence areas, and reviewed further development of interaction within Union State integration processes. They also confirmed continued coordination against the “aggressive policy of the West” and joint briefings to leadership on “subversive plans of Western countries and NATO in the post-Soviet space.” Another practical objective identified was preventing the entry into Union State territory of carriers of “extremist ideology” and “terrorist fighters.” Symbolically, the meeting concluded with a joint laying of flowers at the memorial to the 1,200 Guardsmen.

Favourable economic developments are also encouraging the regime to harden its rhetoric. According to official statistics, Belarus’s GDP in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to approximately EUR 20.5 billion and declined by 0.4% year-on-year. The contraction has slowed downed compared to the first two months of the year, and the Eurasian Development Bank expects a return to growth already in the second quarter, driven by domestic demand, investment, and construction. At the same time, industry — the backbone of the Belarusian economy — has continued to decline over the quarter, indicating that any recovery is likely to be largely cyclical and unstable.

At the same time, the government approved a medium-term financial programme for the republican budget for 2026–2028, setting key parameters for fiscal, debt, and macroeconomic policy. The programme projects GDP growth accelerating to 2.8% in 2026, 2.9% in 2027, and 3% in 2028, alongside gradual inflation reduction and a declining debt-to-GDP ratio. The programme also provides for a notable increase in key expenditure categories.

• Spending on national defence is set to rise from approximately EUR 1.36 billion to EUR 1.54 billion.
• Spending on the security bloc will increase from EUR 2.02 billion to EUR 2.45 billion.
• Allocations for the national economy are projected at EUR from 2.88 to 3.10 billion.
• Healthcare spending is expected at EUR from 0.99 to 1.11 billion.
• Education at EUR from 0.76 to 0.88 billion.
• Social policy at EUR from 1.11 to 1.17 billion.

The verdict against Mikhail Lapunov, the father of political prisoner Mikita Zalatareu, who was pardoned and expelled from Belarus, became known. He was sentenced to five years of imprisonment in a high-security colony. Lapunov was detained in August 2023. He was sentenced to administrative arrest four times in a row. While he was under arrest, the KGB recognised the closed Telegram chat “Homel for Mikita Zalatareu” as an “extremist formation”. The owner of the chat was Lapunov. On this basis, a criminal case was opened against him on charges of “creating an extremist formation” and “facilitating extremist activities”. In August 2024, the Homel Regional Court passed a verdict. On 22 November 2024, Lapunov was added to the “list of extremists”. He was recognised as a political prisoner during his administrative arrest. Lapunov’s son, Mikita Zalatareu, who suffers from epilepsy, was detained for participation in protests on 11 August 2020, when he was 16 years old. According to him, he did not participate in the protests that day, but was passing by to see his father and go fishing with him. He was imprisoned for five years and seven months. On 19 March 2025, Zalatareu was pardoned and exiled from the country.

On 11 April, photographer Aliaksandr Shyshko was detained at Minsk airport on his return from Tbilisi. Shyshko had lived in Tbilisi since at least 2022, but decided to return to Belarus. The criminal case against him is allegedly related to his participation in the celebration of Freedom Day in 2024. As part of this case, his apartment in Belarus was searched. The authorities regularly threaten participants in public actions abroad with criminal prosecution and seizure of property.

Mikalai Statkevich announced on his Telegram channel that his passport was “found” in SIZO-1 in Minsk. “Along with my passport, my prison belongings were also found, including the ‘judicial’ verdict and the decision of the ‘appellate instance.’ Interesting documents for future researchers or investigators. There is also a ‘judicial’ decision forbidding me to leave the country and (what a horror!) visit the casino,” Statkevich wrote. Mikalai Statkevich was sentenced in 2021 in the “Tsikhanouski case” to 14 years of imprisonment. In September 2025, he was among 52 political prisoners who were released. He was supposed to be taken to Lithuania along with others, but refused to leave Belarus and left the bus in a neutral territory. He was later taken away from the border by masked men. For a long time, it was not known where he was. On 19 February, he was released from the same colony in Hlybokae he had been kept earlier after suffering a stroke which resulted in speech problems. Statkevich was released without documents, which made it difficult for him to receive medical treatment, including abroad. Statkevich reported that he is still listed in the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a prisoner in  Correctional Colony-13 in Hlybokae. “I had to return to SIZO-1 to get a release certificate. But there, the deputy chief of operations told me that they could not give me such a certificate because I was not ‘released’. Now I don’t understand what my current legal status is and where I am,” Statkevich said.

Individuals convicted under political charges are threatened with expulsion from Belarus, “Viasna” Human Rights Centre reported. According to human rights defenders, those who are currently at the appeal stage are being forced to sign a commitment stating that in case of repeated violations of the Criminal Code, they may be expelled from the country. Earlier, Belarusian human rights defenders stated that systematic forced deportation of released political prisoners from Belarus may constitute a crime against humanity.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka signed a law on the amendment of codes on issues of administrative responsibility. The most resonant block of amendments concerns the protection of so-called “traditional values”. Administrative responsibility is being introduced for the promotion of homosexual relations, sex reassignment, paedophilia and childlessness. For individuals, a fine of up to 900 Belarusian rubles (300 USD) is introduced, for individual entrepreneurs – up to 4,500 rubles (1,500 USD), and for legal entities – 6,700 rubles (2,200 USD). If such information is available to minors, the punishment is increased: community service or administrative arrest can be assigned.

Cultural manager, founder and former director of the “Art Siadziba” independent public cultural initiative Pavel Belavus, convicted on charges of high treason, organising group actions that violate public order and public calls for the seizure of power and sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment and a significant fine, was transferred to the Mahileu prison. There is a possibility that a new criminal case has been opened against him.

It was reported that Anatol Parakhnevich, a Catholic priest from Alkovichi, Vileika district, detained on 16 March, could be accused of helping to preserve the memory of Polish citizens who died in earlier years on the territory of modern Belarus. In addition to his pastoral service, Parakhnevich is also known for his local history activities. He served in a region that was in difficult historical conditions in the first half of the 20th century and studied the history and culture of this region and took care of its preservation. Specific details about the reason for his detention were not disclosed so that this information is not used against Parakhnevich. It is also known that Parakhnevich openly opposed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and called for peace.

Uladzimir Tselyapun, a local human rights defender and social activist, was detained in Mozyr. According to available information, he was taken into custody about a week ago and is being held in the temporary detention facility of the Mozyr District Police Department. The exact reasons and legal grounds for the detention are still not known.

On 17 April, the KGB updated the list of people involved in “terrorist activities”. Another ten individuals were added to it, including neurologist Ruslan Badamshin. In 2024, he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for participating in protests, and in 2026, he was sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment for facilitating extremist activities.

On 17 April, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added 21 more people to the “list of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”. Among others were Dzmitry and Volha Kapuzi, a married couple from the Drahichin district, who were sentenced to 24 and 21 years of imprisonment respectively on charges of “acts of terrorism” and “illegal actions with ammunition.” It was alleged that they had collected explosives and made caches on the territory of Belarus. During the arrest, Dzmitry was shot and wounded in the thigh. The trial was held behind closed doors. There are now 6,526 names on the list.

A coalition of human rights organisations of Belarus issued a statement regarding the recognition of Belarusian PEN, Human Constanta and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee as “extremist formations”. “The decision of the authorities to recognise these organisations as “extremist formations” is a politically motivated persecution related to the peaceful exercise of people’s rights and freedoms, which is carried out as part of a large-scale government policy to persecute dissenters. Part of this policy is the suppression of civic activism, stigmatisation of civil society organisations in general and the Belarusian human rights movement in particular,” the statement read. It also emphasised that “Belarusian legislation on countering extremism does not meet international standards, has no legitimate goals, is formulated broadly and abstractly, which gives excessive discretion to state bodies and allows them to arbitrarily apply legal provisions for the purpose of political repression”. It was underlined that the true purpose of applying this legislation is to suppress any disagreement with the actions of the authorities. The statement concluded that this form of harassment against organisations operating in exile is a form of transnational repression.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called the decision of the Belarusian authorities to recognise the European Humanities University (EHU) as an “extremist formation” outrageous. “It puts students, faculty, and families at serious risk and obstructs access to independent, unbiased education. It is yet another hostile act by the Lukashenka regime against Lithuania and the EU. We stand ready to back the EHU community,” he wrote on the X social network. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and Sweden also expressed their support for the EHU. “Belarus’ decision to designate EHU as an extremist formation is deeply troubling. Such a step affects thousands of students, alumni, and academic staff and raises broader questions about the environment for independent education. It constitutes a serious violation of the right to education free from political interference. Estonia expresses its disagreement with this decision and emphasises that the pursuit of knowledge and academic freedom should not be associated with extremism. We stand ready to support the EHU community and Lithuania,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia said in a statement on the X social network. The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the decision of the Belarusian regime “an attack on academic freedom, the opportunities for Belarusian youth and on Lithuania.”

The European Union condemned the decision of the Belarusian Supreme Court to recognise the European Humanities University (EHU) as an “extremist formation”. The EU called this decision “a blatant and unjustified attack on academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the fundamental right to education. … Labelling an academic institution as ‘extremist’ is yet another example of the regime’s systematic efforts to silence critical thinking, intimidate young people, and further dismantle civic space inside as well as outside of Belarus. This decision is part of a broader pattern of repression targeting civil society, independent media, and educational actors,” the European External Action Service said in a statement.

On 15 April, Nils Muižnieks, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus; Graeme Reid, Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Ana Brian Nougreres, Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Claudia Flores, Chair, Ivana Krstić, Vice-Chair, Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Haina Lu, Laura Nyirinkindi, members of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, expressed their concerns with regard to legislation penalising information perceived as “promoting” consensual same-sex relations, healthcare for transgender persons or reproductive autonomy that was adopted in Belarus. “This law represents a dangerous escalation,” the experts said. “It equates legitimate human rights advocacy with an administrative offence and risks further legitimising persecution against already marginalised groups and defenders of their rights.” The UN experts stressed that the legislation misleadingly links legitimate expression with criminal conduct such as paedophilia, reinforcing stigma and hostility. They warned that the law’s vague and overly-broad wording could enable arbitrary enforcement and restrict civic space and recalled that under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, freedom of expression may only be restricted where lawful, necessary and proportionate, and such restrictions have repeatedly been found incompatible with international human rights law. They said the law was being introduced amid reports of harassment, raids and intimidation against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other gender-diverse (LGBT+) persons. “Belarus must halt enactment of the law, repeal discriminatory provisions and ensure its legislation’s and law-enforcement practice’s full compliance with international human rights standards,” the experts said.

The European Union, within the framework of the EU4Belarus — SALT program, announced the start of the third round of applications for support of education and retraining for citizens of Belarus affected by political persecution. The program is intended for those over the age of 18 who were subjected to political repression after August 2020 and lost the opportunity to work or study. An applicant must reside in an EU, EEA, or one of the Eastern Partnership countries. The amount of support is up to 10,000 Euro. The funds can be used for vocational education, retraining and advanced training courses, language courses, diploma nostrification, qualification certificates, as well as driving courses of categories C, D and T. The application should be submitted by 31 May 2026.

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Best regards, iSANS team