Belarus Review by iSANS — April 21, 2025 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, at least two Russian drones were recorded in Belarusian airspace from April 14 to 20: “Shahed” and a reconnaissance drone. Later, one flew to Ukraine, and nothing is known about the fate of the second. There have been no reports of drones being destroyed in Belarusian airspace.

On 14 April, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Pavel Muraveika started an official visit to Kazakhstan. The visit included meetings and negotiations with the Kazakh Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff. The parties discussed the current state of bilateral military cooperation, outlined ways to expand it in areas of mutual interest, and stressed the interest in strengthening relations between the defense departments. During the visit, the Belarusan delegation visited the “Bereg” firing range, where it familiarized itself with the procedure of training drone operators. Muraveika also observed the combat training of peacekeeping units at the “Bitimger” training center.

On April 16, the chairman of the State Military Industrial Committee Dzmitry Pantus paid a working visit to Orsha district, Vitebsk region. This was reported by the agency on social networks. In particular, Pantus visited Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant, JSC ‘Tekhnika Svyazi’ and JSC ‘Zavod “Legmash”. All the enterprises are modernising and re-profiling their production aimed at increasing the output of both military and civilian products. In addition, work is underway to master the production of new types of products.

From April 16 to May 10, training sessions will be held in Smolevichi District with military personnel of the territorial troops. 170 reservists will be called up from the reserve for the training. The region became the fourth to hold territorial defense exercises in 2025.

On April 17, Hrodna hosted a training camp on territorial defense with the participation of the chairmen of district and city executive committees. The objectives of the training were to improve the level of individual training of the participants, to get acquainted with the role of territorial defense in modern armed conflicts, and to learn the basics of the use of territorial troops. In the course of the training session, the use of drones and countering them were taught. In practice, the participants demonstrated the peculiarities of equipping a checkpoint in the urban area and the procedure for carrying out service at it.

On April 18, State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandar Valfovich visited the Domanovo training field, where events are being held as part of the combat readiness check of the Belarusian Armed Forces. In particular, the official watched maneuvers of the 740th anti-aircraft missile regiment, whose personnel carried out combat launches against air targets from the «Osa» anti-aircraft missile system. Valfovich also said that units and military units of electronic warfare, anti-aircraft missile units, as well as units that use drones are being tested: «These are the military units that have a special interest and relevance in the course of modern combat operations. Studying the experience [of the war] in Ukraine, we see that there is a special interest in these military units, branches of the armed forces and there is a special impact on them,» he said.

During the period under review, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, as well as Vadzim Kabanchuk, Representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for Defense and National Security, held a meeting in Vilnius with Jonas Ohman, head of the organization “Blue/Yellow”, according to Tsikhanouskaya’s Office. Blue/Yellow is a Lithuanian charitable organization that has been supporting the Ukrainian armed forces with equipment and humanitarian aid since 2014. During the meeting, the parties discussed the planning of joint campaigns to raise aid for Ukrainian soldiers, support for Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine, and further coordination between Belarus’s democratic forces and Lithuanian civil society initiatives. Tsikhanouskaya also emphasized that supporting Ukraine is a moral duty and a shared path toward freedom.

In a recent interview, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the ongoing challenges of securing the inclusion of Belarusian political prisoners in international prisoner exchange negotiations. She also outlined the next steps for the Belarusian democratic movement and reflected on the role of Western allies in supporting Belarusians’ pro-democracy efforts. Tsikhanouskaya announced an upcoming visit to the United States in two weeks, during which she plans to meet with members of the U.S. administration and Congress to emphasize that a free Belarus aligns with American interests. According to her advisor, Franak Viacorka, Tsikhanouskaya is scheduled to speak at the Hudson Institute in Washington on May 7. The event will focus on the political situation in Belarus and the broader geopolitical landscape of Central and Eastern Europe.

From April 14-16, a delegation of Belarusian democratic forces was visiting Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, at the invitation of the country’s Presidential Office. The group included Franak Viacorka, Dzianis Kuchynski, Anatoly Liabedzka, and Pavel Liber, founder of the “New Belarus” digital platform. The visit aimed at strengthening cooperation between democratic Belarus and Kosovo, discussing experiences in legalization processes and diaspora engagement, and supporting independent media, as well as discussing the development of a new Belarusian passport. The delegation met with Kosovo officials, including the President’s Chief of Staff, the Vice Mayor of Pristina, and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign and Internal Affairs. Key topics included training programs for Belarusian volunteers, inter-parliamentary cooperation, and potential economic and IT sector collaboration. Kosovo, which recognizes Belarusian democratic efforts, expressed readiness to support Belarusian journalists and aid the diaspora.

On April 15, 2025, Aliaksandr Lukashenka met in Minsk with Sergey Naryshkin, Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. The meeting was also attended by the head of the Belarusian KGB, Ivan Tertel. Following the talks, Naryshkin stated that he and Lukashenka discussed issues of regional and global security. “We touched upon a range of issues concerning regional and global security. Lukashenka has supported — and continues to support — the joint activities of the special services of our two countries in ensuring the interests and security of our states,” Naryshkin said. He also issued threats toward Belarus’s neighbors and NATO more broadly. Commenting on the militarization of Belarus’s European neighbors, Naryshkin warned that “in the event of aggression from the North Atlantic Alliance against the Union State, damage will undoubtedly be inflicted on the entire NATO bloc. However, those who will suffer the most are the ideological proponents, especially among the political circles of Poland and the Baltic states.” After that, Polish President Andrzej Duda called the words of Naryshkin disinformation. Additionally, the Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service reaffirmed that Russia’s strategic goals in its war against Ukraine remain unchanged.

Eight countries have joined the latest round of European Union sanctions against the Lukashenka regime, according to a statement from the EU Council. The countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine. The sanctions, introduced on March 27, target 25 individuals and seven entities.

Sanctions against Belarus and Russia should be imposed at least on a regional level — such was the position expressed by Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, as he commented on a legislative initiative concerning the introduction of a national sanctions regime, in case EU-level restrictions on Belarus and Russia are not extended. Currently, the Lithuanian Seimas is reviewing a draft law aimed at extending national restrictions on Belarusian and Russian citizens. The original proposal called only for the continuation of existing restrictions until May of next year. However, amendments have since been introduced that would allow for revoking residence permits from Belarusian and Russian nationals who frequently travel back to their home countries. Last week, another proposal emerged, enabling Lithuania to implement national sanctions that mirror those adopted by the European Union, should the EU sanctions fail to be renewed. Several days after that, on April 17, the Lithuanian Seimas extended sanctions against citizens of Belarus and Russia for another year, while rejecting a proposal from the Conservative party to equalize restrictions on Belarusians with those applied to Russians. As a result, the issuance of residence permits to Belarusian citizens without valid visas will not be suspended, and they will continue to have a legal pathway to enter Lithuania for employment purposes.

Poland will treat incidents at the border involving Belarusian personnel with the utmost seriousness. This was stated by Polish Minister of the Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak, commenting on a recent incident at the Belarusian border, footage of which was published on April 13. The Polish side claimed that a man in a uniform allegedly attacked a Polish border patrol alongside a group of migrants. According to Siemoniak, since the 2021 attempt by migrants to storm a Polish border checkpoint, Belarusian personnel have repeatedly been observed near the border, but no incidents directly involving them in attacks have occurred for a long time. On April 19, Siemoniak ruled out reopening border checkpoints with Belarus “until Minsk changes its policies and halts the ongoing migration pressure.” He acknowledged, however, that the closure of the checkpoints has had a negative impact on the social and economic life of border regions.

Meanwhile, official Minsk has expressed interest in resuming direct passenger rail connections with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. The proposal was made by the Belarusian delegation during the conference of General Directors of the Organization for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD), according to the press service of Belarusian Railways. The event took place in Warsaw from April 14 to 17.

A new criminal case has been opened against political prisoner Aliaksandra Kasko. She was transferred to the pre-trial detention center in Baranavichi. Kasko was detained in February 2023, when she arrived in Belarus from Poland. She was accused of insulting a government official; insulting a judge or a people’s assessor; insulting Lukashenka; creating an extremist group or participating in it; facilitating extremist activities; slandering Lukashenka; illegal actions with respect to information about private life and personal data; and incitement of racial, national, religious or other social hostility or discord. In December 2023, she was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment. In May 2024, another criminal case was opened against Kasko under charges of insulting a government official and a judge.

On April 15, human rights activists recognized as political prisoners seven more persons who were detained or imprisoned for insulting Lukashenka, government officials (police officers), judges, abuse of state symbols, and other forms of freedom of expression. Human rights activists demanded immediate release of these persons, decriminalization of defamatory offenses and repeal of articles of the Criminal Code that provide for responsibility for insulting the state, state symbols and officials, and termination of all criminal investigations previously initiated under these articles, as well as immediate release of all political prisoners and ending political repression against citizens of the country. The total number of political prisoners in Belarus currently serving their terms has reached 1197, “Viasna” Human Rights Center reported. On April 16, nine more persons were recognized as political prisoners. Among them is Maksim Ralko, a former soldier of the Kalinouski Regiment (the Belarusian military unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine). Ralko retired from the regiment in early 2024. He then came to Warsaw, where he rented an apartment, began studying IT testing, and planned to find a job. A couple of months after returning from Ukraine to Poland, he disappeared. He got in touch with his friends in May 2024 and said that he was in Germany and had decided to apply for the refugee status there. In November 2024, the ONT TV channel aired a story starring Ralko. He was already in the KGB detention center and was handcuffed.

Belarus has deported Robert Tąpała, a Polish citizen, who was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in 2023 under charges of insulting a government official and Lukashenka. He was detained in 2022, in April 2023 the court delivered a verdict, and in July of the same year the Belarusian authorities included him in the list of foreign citizens involved in extremist activities. In April 2025, he was released and deported. Presumably, Tąpała’s family remained in Belarus. According to “Viasna” Human Rights Center, there are 36 foreign citizens in detention facilities in Belarus. Since 2020, at least 75 foreigners have been subjected to political persecution in Belarus.

Cases when third parties approach persons under the guise of journalists were reported. “It is possible that these are employees of the Belarusian security services”, said Barys Garetski, Deputy Chair of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. According to him, such cases “are not widespread”. Garetski recommended “not to give information to a person whose authenticity you are not sure of”. Ex-political prisoner Antanina Kanavalava, who recently left Belarus, had previously reported on attempts by representatives of the Belarusian security forces to impersonate other people in order to identify opponents of the regime abroad. According to her, Belarusian security forces, including KGB officers, have been actively using provocative methods to extract information from activists and those who disagree with the regime. One of these methods is offering money for an interview or a “frank conversation”. Kanavalava claims that she was approached by someone disguised as a representative of the Russian human rights center Memorial and offered money for information. The caller’s number was registered in Chile.

Checks and interrogations continue at the border of Belarus. In open telegram chats dedicated to the situation on the border, travelers say that those who have not been home for a long time are being taken away for interrogations. During such “interviews”, security officers check phones. Users write about interrogations at the border in a veiled manner, with almost no details. They also mention selective “conversations” with EU citizens wishing to enter Belarus, as well as the requests to show a second passport to those who have a second citizenship.

Priest Viachaslau Barok was recognized as an “extremist group”. The relevant decision was made by the Interior Ministry on April 16. The decision covered Barok’s YouTube channel, Telegram, Facebook and e-mail. A photo of the priest against the background of a protest action in 2020 was identified as the logo of the “formation”. Viachaslau Barok faced political persecution for his position after the elections and was forced to leave Belarus.

On April 18, the trial in absentia of the founders of BYSOL and BY_Help charitable foundations began in the Homiel Regional Court. Special procedure against Andrei Stryzhak, Aliaksei Liavonchik, Yaraslau Likhacheuski, Aliaksei Kuzmiankou, Aliaksandr Lapko, Aliaksandr Zhuk and Aliaksandr Padgorny was initiated in December 2024. Each of the defendants is charged with a number of articles of the Criminal Code. Among them are the creation of an extremist group, financing extremist activities, calls for sanctions, slander against Lukashenka, discrediting Belarus, incitement to high treason, and the threat of committing an act of terrorism.

Political prisoner Alena Lazarchyk was sentenced to another year and a half of imprisonment. The date when the verdict was delivered is still unknown, but it is known that she was tried on charges of malicious disobedience to the demands of the institution administration. At the trial, she refused the services of an appointed lawyer. Lazarchyk has been in detention since December 30, 2021. She was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment for participating in protests, inciting hostility, participating in an extremist group, and insulting Lukashenka.

On April 18, 50 more persons were added to the official list of “persons involved in extremist activities”. There are now 5,192 positions in the document posted on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The KGB added eight more persons to the “list of terrorists”, among them five former security officials from Zhodzina, who recorded an appeal against violence by Lukashenka’s law enforcement bodies in August 2020. They were detained in February 2024. They were charged with harming the national security of Belarus and inciting hostility. The trial was scheduled to begin on January 13, 2025. They could be sentenced to up to twelve years of imprisonment. However, it is not known yet what the verdict was.

Arrests and searches were taking place in Dzerzhinsk last week. It is known that they related to participation in post-election protests. It is reported that the reason for the persecution was “protest” photos and videos that identify the protesters. About five detainees are known. The exact number of persons who were targeted is being investigated.

BYSOL foundation opened a fundraising campaign for children of political prisoners. The campaign is organized by the Emergency Humanitarian Aid project, which includes the BYSOL, By_Help, Kraina dlya Zhyttya and Dissidentby foundations. The Association of Belarusians in America and the Association of Belarusian Businesses Abroad also joined the campaign as partners. The collected funds will be spent on excursions, trips, summer camps, educational clubs, sports clubs, and equipment for games and sports. 100 Euro will be provided for each child under the age of 16.

The Emergency Humanitarian Aid project launched a charity fundraising campaign to support persons with disabilities who have suffered from political repression. It is planned to raise 10,000 Euro for the International Day for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The purpose of the campaign is to provide urgent assistance to persons with disabilities who are imprisoned for their civic position, those who are experiencing the consequences of imprisonment, as well as families of political prisoners where children with disabilities are raised.

The Polish National Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the disappearance of the speaker of the Coordination Council, Anzhalika Melnikava. This was reported on April 16 by Prosecutor Katarzyna Calów-Jaszewska. “The purpose of the investigation is to clarify the circumstances of the disappearance and possible imprisonment of Anzhalika M. in March 2025,” Calów-Jaszewska said. The case was registered at the Lublin branch of the National Prosecutor’s Office. The Internal Security Agency also takes part in the investigation. The speaker of the Coordination Council, Anzhalika Melnikava, has been out of reach since March 25. According to Polish law enforcement agencies, she is not in Poland. Her exact location is unknown.

The 2025 “Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights” was awarded to Aliaksandr Yarashuk, Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), Vice President of the International Trade Union Confederation, and a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization. Aliaksandr Yarashuk has sacrificed his personal freedom to defend the right to organise, act collectively and conduct trade union work. He has been imprisoned since 2022 for his uncompromising defence of fundamental workers’ rights, human rights and democracy. In 2021, the independent trade union movement of Belarus, represented by the BKDP and its affiliated unions, were awarded the “Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights” for their fearless struggle for democracy and fundamental trade union rights. In 2022, the independent trade union movement was banned and many unionists, such as Yarashuk and his colleagues, were imprisoned or had to flee the country.

The Human Rights Committee, combining 16 substantially similar complaints, recognized that Belarus massively violated the rights of its citizens to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. In 2018-2019, authorities in Belarus banned peaceful gatherings in at least 22 different cities of the country. The Committee found that the bans on peaceful assembly were in all cases unnecessary and disproportionate and thus violated the applicants’ rights. The state failed to prove that the restriction of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression was justified under international law. The opinion adopted by the Committee obliged the Republic of Belarus to compensate 17 persons for fines and court costs incurred in connection with the illegal restriction of their rights, and to bring national legislation in line with international human rights standards.

Belarusian propagandists and pro-government experts reacted with restraint to the Russian strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on April 13, which killed 35 people, including two children. Media coverage reflected the Kremlin’s position and repeated pro-Russian narratives — justifying the so-called “special military operation,” claiming that Russian forces only target military objects, and so on. For example, the website of the state broadcaster ONT republished an interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who claimed that the strike hit a “gathering of Ukrainian military commanders and their Western partners” in Sumy. In particular, Belarusian MP Vadzim Hihin drew his followers’ attention to President Zelensky’s dismissal of the regional military administration chief, presenting it as proof that a military meeting was held in central Sumy, supposedly targeted by the Russian strike. He dismissed reports of civilian casualties as a PR stunt by “the Kyiv regime and its patrons.”

Pro-government columnist Yury Uvarau continued to comment on the war in Ukraine in articles for Minskaya Prauda. On April 14, he criticized U.S. mediation efforts and lashed out at Donald Trump, claiming the U,S. president “continues a hostile policy toward Russia and constantly provokes Moscow.” According to Uvarau, Trump’s peace rhetoric is mere “hot air and populism.” He added: “The American good cop/bad cop game is primitive: senile Biden starts a war, while peacemaker Trump pretends to stop the bloodshed. But if Trump blames Biden for the war in Ukraine, why does not he address the root causes? Not once has the White House mentioned Ukrainian neo-Nazis or the need to eliminate this evil. While condemning Biden, Trump actually continues his policies. He recently extended Biden-era emergency measures and sanctions against Russia.” In another article dated April 16, Uvarau focused on the supposed future “partition” of Ukraine and exploitation of its natural resources. “Brussels and London are leading the anti-Russian crusade but also have vested interests in Ukraine — they want a share of the pie when the division begins. Trump’s assertiveness prevents Europe from shelving the Ukrainian question. Smaller players also demand compensation. Romania still dreams of reclaiming Bukovina, Hungary wants Zakarpattia, Poland eyes Galicia. Even Bulgaria recently laid claim to parts of the Odessa region,” he wrote. Uvarau also reiterated that Russia is not waging war in Ukraine but conducting a “special operation for denazification.”

On April 14, ONT propagandist Ihar Tur addressed Belarusians who criticize President Aliaksandr Lukashenka for repeatedly forecasting that every coming year would be “difficult” or “very difficult.” Tur defended the autocrat, claiming that an “easy year” will never come: “If we allow ourselves an easy year — meaning we relax, avoid ambitious goals, and do not grit our teeth — then the next year will not just be hard, it will be catastrophically difficult.” While visiting a church in Talochyn for Easter, Lukashenka again claimed that Belarus is experiencing “difficult years, especially this one,” and urged Belarusians to “mobilize and unite,” citing global “turbulence, chaos, and confusion.” In the same program, Tur supported Lukashenka’s proposal to bring 150,000 labor migrants from Pakistan to Belarus, arguing it would improve labor productivity. However, his comments criticized Belarusian workers: “Everywhere I go, I see low-productivity workers constantly distracted by coffee breaks, smoke breaks, or idle chatter. These are the same people who are the first to ask for pay raises — because prices went up, the dollar rose, or some other excuse. But never because they have increased productivity, which is the only objective reason for higher wages. Maybe, as a nation, we need to start learning this seriously: you do not get paid — you earn your wage. Want a better life? Then try harder.”

On April 15 in Mahilyow, Belarusian KGB Chairman Ivan Tsertsel met with Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin. Both officials claimed the “collective West,” including NATO and the EU’s most “hostile” countries, continues to exert negative pressure on Belarus and Russia. They alleged the Ukrainian crisis is being used as a tool to destabilize the Union State and accused Western intelligence services of increasing subversive activity. The two agreed to pool the resources of the KGB and SVR to counter “hostile intentions.”

The day after this meeting, propagandists Ryhor Azaronak and Kiryl Kazakou criticised Polish President Andrzej Duda, who saw it as a threat to Poland. Kazakou suggested spreading even more ambiguous narratives to “scare the Poles.” “The jewel of the Hrodna region is the Augustów Canal. Why does it have such a name? The answer is that it stands in the town of Augustow. This is the area of the very Suvalki corridor. I do not understand why the pearl of our region is called Augustów Canal, and the town of Augustów is not in friendly relations with the Hrodna region. Why not include it or Bialystok, where the document on the accession of Western Belarus to the BSSR was signed, into the Hrodna region? After all, Bialystok is a Belarusian town, there is a wonderful town Hajnówka, which is located on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, and in general, the Belaya Vezha – is a Belarusian territory.”

On April 17, Lukashenka met with Russian politician Sergey Glazyev and announced his appointment as State Secretary of the Union State. Lukashenka stated: “President Putin and I agreed that your role in building the Union State should be significant.” He reiterated his long-standing ideological formula: “One homeland — two states. Our homeland stretches from Brest to Vladivostok. I have been saying that since way back.” He suggested that Belarusian and Russian officials are “smart enough” to build ties even closer than those of a unitary state: “Maybe that’s too ambitious, but we have to make it happen. Otherwise, given what’s happening around us, we will not survive.”

On April 17, Belarusian Security Council Secretary Aliaksandr Valfovich oversaw a readiness inspection of the 740^th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. He emphasized the importance of such checks amid the “hysteria” stirred up by the West over events in Belarus and Russia. He dismissed rumors about relocating Russian troops to Belarus to prepare for new operations against Ukraine, calling them fake.

On April 17, during a monthly “Information Day” in Minsk, MP Viachaslau Danilovich claimed that the U.S., UK, and France “nurtured and coddled” Nazi Germany — investing huge sums and letting it ravage its neighbors — before “formally declaring war” while allegedly encouraging an attack on the USSR. He asserted that “Western democracies” aimed to eliminate the Soviet Union as an ideological alternative to capitalist society. Danilovich also claimed that modern Western nations continue this legacy and drew parallels between them and Nazi collaborators: “In 1941, 28 European nationalities, together with the Wehrmacht, came to Belarus to impose a new Nazi order. That’s what they’d like to forget in the so-called collective West.”

On April 18, also during “Information Day,” Deputy Head of Lukashenka’s Administration Uladzimir Piartsou accused modern European leaders of being “descendants of 1940s fascists,” claiming they are preparing for a second “march to the East.” “These heirs of fascists have been waiting for their moment. Now they’re spreading fake history and blatant lies using modern communications,” he said.

Dear Readers, the next issue of Belarus Review will be published on April 29.

Note from the editors: We do not provide links to publications in official and propagandistic sources belonging to the Lukashenka regime or affiliated with the regime. If you are interested in obtaining such a link for research or investigation purposes, please contact us at info@isans.org

Best regards,
iSANS team