Belarus Review by iSANS — June 15, 2026 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, 41 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles were recorded in Belarusian airspace between 8 and 14 June 2026. Throughout the week, Belarusian Air Force aircraft assigned to air-policing duties were scrambled daily to intercept drones. No reports were received regarding the crash or destruction of any UAVs.

On 9 June, the Council of the Republic (the upper chamber of the Belarusian “parliament”) approved the draft law “On Ratification of the Protocol on Amendments to the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on the Development of Military-Technical Cooperation of 10 December 2009”. The State Authority for Military Industry reported the decision. The agency described the adoption of the bill as “the most important step in regulating bilateral allied relations”.

On 9 June, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence reported the arrival in Minsk of a delegation from Zimbabwe for talks on cooperation in the field of radiation, chemical and biological protection. During a bilateral working meeting, Head of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection and Ecology Directorate of the General Staff Viachaslau Starkou presented Belarus’ capabilities in training specialised personnel and outlined promising areas of cooperation. The programme also included visits to educational institutions, military units and research-and-production enterprises. The delegation visited the Military Faculty of Belarusian State University and the 8th Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Brigade.

On 9 June, the Vayar news agency hosted a training session for senior officers of the Belarusian Armed Forces’ command bodies on cooperation with the media. The Ministry of Defence reported that during the event, Head of the Main Directorate for Ideological Work Leanid Kasinski stated that deterrence today depends not only on weapons and military training, but also on “our ability to use the media to project unity, determination and strength of spirit, while simultaneously winning the war of narratives”.

On 10 June, Radio Svaboda published an investigation into a network of Russian airfields and launch facilities for strike drones built near the Belarusian border. The publication identified at least five Russian sites established after 2022. These include the Shatalovo airfield in Smolensk Region, located 46 km from the Belarusian border; a site that was described as “the world’s largest drone port” near the village of Tsymbulova in Oryol Region; and three facilities in Bryansk Region — near the settlement of Navlia, at the Seshcha airfield and near the village of Asavitsa. The first Russian drones began crossing Belarusian territory in July 2024, which coincided with the construction of these facilities. According to Ukrainian experts, their location allows Russia to strike Kyiv and western regions of Ukraine using direct routes overflying Belarusian territory, reduce fuel consumption and complicate the operation of Ukrainian air-defence systems. Ukrainian specialists also do not exclude the possibility that Russian drones use communications and signal relay infrastructure deployed on Belarusian territory, helping to maintain stable communications during flights.

From 10 to 11 June, a staff exercise was conducted with the Territorial Defence Directorate of the General Staff. The Ministry of Defence reported that, operating within a simulated training environment and on the basis of previously adopted decisions, personnel completed planning for the employment of Belarus’ territorial defence forces. The exercise was intended to improve officers’ professional skills and enhance coordination among operational staff involved in organising territorial defence activities.

On 10 June, the Belarusian Railway Community reported that military structures had taken up an entire floor of the Belarusian Railway Traffic Management Centre building on a permanent basis approximately one year ago. According to the Community, around 20–30 representatives of military structures are stationed there. The core of the group consists of military communications personnel responsible for organising and supporting military transport movements. Representatives of communications and classified information protection units are also reportedly present. The floor is fenced off, access is possible only with special permits, and an armed guard post is maintained around the clock at the entrance. The formation of this group coincided with preparations for the Zapad-2025 exercise. According to the Belarusian Railway Community, the development amounts to the effective integration of the military into the operational management system of railway transportation.

On 11 June, Major General Vitaly Shestak, First Deputy Chief of Armaments of the Belarusian Armed Forces and Chief of the Armaments Staff, was discharged from military service into the reserve upon reaching the age limit, with the right to continue wearing military uniform and insignia. Shestak had held the position since March 2023. Before that, he headed the Missile and Artillery Armaments Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.

On 11 June, BELPOL published a series of documents indicating an especially active role played by the Belarusian Ministry of Industry in military-technical cooperation with Russia alongside the State Authority for Military Industry. The documents suggest that the Ministry of Industry deliberately proposed using idle Belarusian production capacities to support the needs of the Russian defence-industrial complex. The documents indicate a systematic pattern of Lukashenka’s regime involvement in supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

On 11 June, it became known that the Indian Army had purchased 106 Peacekeeper (Agniveg) kamikaze drones. The appearance and specifications of these systems correspond to the Belarusian “Miratvorets” loitering munition. It should be recalled that in 2025, BELPOL reported that India had purchased approximately 100 Belarusian-produced Miratvorets drones.

On 11 June, Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske published a report on the situation along the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Volyn Region. According to a representative of the Volyn Border Guard Detachment, the sector is fully equipped with engineering barriers, including concrete and mesh obstacles, coils of barbed wire and an anti-tank ditch. Construction of these fortifications was completed by the end of 2025. No signs of a direct threat from Belarus have been observed in this area. Over recent months, neither sabotage groups nor reconnaissance drones have been detected. Ukrainian servicemen report that on the Belarusian side, they mostly observe border patrols, which pass without contact with the Ukrainian counterparts and generally attempt to avoid being seen.

On 12 June, Ukrinform published an assessment by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine regarding the situation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. According to the agency’s spokesperson Andrii Demchenko, there is currently no observable build-up of forces near the Belarusian border that could launch an invasion of Ukraine or carry out provocative actions. At the same time, the Ukrainian side continues to monitor potential increases in risk, including the formation of offensive groupings or the transfer of additional Russian forces to Belarus.

From 10 to 12 June, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited the Czech Republic, where she met with President Petr Pavel, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil and Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda. During the meetings, the parties discussed regional security, relations between Belarus and Ukraine, the release of political prisoners, sanctions policy, support for Belarusians in exile and prospects for democratic change in Belarus. Particular attention was devoted to the work of the Mission of Democratic Belarus in Prague, visa issues and support for civil society. Tsikhanouskaya also addressed the Czech Senate and the Václav Havel Library, met representatives of the Belarusian diaspora and visited exhibitions by Belarusian artists.

At the same time, Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic adviser, Dzianis Kuchynski, held talks in Paris with representatives of the French Presidential Administration, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly. Discussions focused on sanctions, political prisoners, the G7 agenda and France’s interaction with the Belarusian democratic forces.

On 7 June, during the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Vilnius, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic adviser Dzianis Kuchynski met with His Holiness and handed him a letter from the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces. In the letter, Tsikhanouskaya thanked the Patriarch for supporting Belarusian Orthodox believers in exile and for facilitating the establishment of a Belarusian Orthodox parish in Vilnius. Kuchynski also presented Bartholomew with a Slutsk Belt as a symbol of the historical ties between Belarusian Orthodoxy and Constantinople.

From 6 to 8 June, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng visited Belarus. During the visit, he held talks with Aliaksandr Lukashenka, Prime Minister Aliaksandr Turchyn and First Deputy Prime Minister Mikalai Snopkou, and took part in the China–Belarus Forum on Industrial and Investment Cooperation, a forum dedicated to Belarusian exports to China and the Belagro-2026 exhibition. “China and Belarus are true friends and good partners who treat each other with sincerity and trust,” Han Zheng stated during his meeting with Lukashenka. At the same time, the parties discussed preparations for the first Belarus–China Regions Forum, which will take place in Lanzhou on 1–2 July. In practice, the initiative represents the creation of a permanent mechanism for interaction between Belarusian regions and Chinese provinces based on a model previously developed by Minsk in its relations with Russian regions. The visit confirmed the continued high level of political trust between Minsk and Beijing.

On 8 June, Aliaksandr Lukashenka held talks with President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, who paid the first official high-level visit in the history of bilateral relations. The central focus of the discussions was the development of cooperation in agriculture, industry, education, healthcare and security. The parties agreed to establish a joint committee on trade and economic cooperation, signed an agreement on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports and concluded several agreements in the agricultural sphere. The most significant outcome was the discussion of establishing a permanent Belarusian products centre in Ghana and a mechanism for promoting Belarusian goods on West African markets. Lukashenka effectively identified Ghana as one of the potential anchor states of Belarusian policy on the African continent. At the same time, Minsk offered Accra cooperation in military education and the military-industrial sphere. In practical terms, Belarus is attempting to consolidate a model of cooperation previously tested in Zimbabwe, combining deliveries of machinery, agricultural technologies, educational services and elements of military-technical cooperation.

On 9 June, Chairman of the State Control Committee Vasili Hierasimau stated that problems persist in implementing Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s instructions. According to him, in 2025 the State Control Committee conducted a comprehensive review of approximately 1,300 presidential directives, after which special meetings were organised with ministries, government agencies and local authorities. Despite improvements in administrative discipline, delays and failures to implement instructions have not been fully eliminated. Among the reasons cited were poor coordination, slow decision-making by managers, insufficient knowledge of local conditions and inadequate self-monitoring. Hierasimau stressed that “every executor must feel personal responsibility for the final result before the President”. The statement points to continuing problems in the effectiveness and manageability of the state apparatus. Earlier reports indicated that approximately one-third of Lukashenka’s instructions were classified as “not implemented”.

On 11 June, Aliaksandr Lukashenka carried out a major round of personnel appointments, naming a new Minister of Natural Resources, a new head of the publishing house Belarus Segodnya, district executives, industrial enterprise managers, diplomats and senior state officials. Maksim Lysenka was appointed Minister of Natural Resources, while Volha Anufryieva became Director and Editor-in-Chief of Belarus Segodnya. The appointments were accompanied by a strong emphasis on import substitution, localisation of production and technological self-sufficiency. Lukashenka demanded that localisation levels for machinery reach 90–100%, stressing that “everything must be Belarusian”, while maintaining that product quality remains the key criterion. Attention was devoted to domestic innovations, including a robotic milking system and new agricultural machinery. At the same time, plans to expand Belarusian presence on foreign markets, particularly in Africa, were reaffirmed. In the media sphere, the new head of the country’s largest state publishing house was tasked with further ideological support for state policy.

On 11 June, the State Committee on Science and Technology presented the framework of scientific and technological programmes for the new five-year period. For 2026–2030, 26 programmes have been approved, including 20 national and six regional initiatives. More than 2,000 R&D products and technical solutions are expected to be created while maintaining current levels of production and exports. Priority sectors include transport engineering, advanced materials, the chemical industry, medicine and machine-tool construction. During the previous five-year period, scientific and technological programmes generated approximately USD 3.4 billion worth of output, of which around 94% was commercialised and 28% exported. The decision reinforces the state’s emphasis on applied science, import substitution and technological sovereignty.

On the Belarusian-Lithuanian track, a combination of limited de-escalation and growing security concerns continues to shape developments. Lithuania is strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, with particular attention devoted to drone threats and the security of energy, transport and communications facilities.  It is noteworthy that on 13 June an air alert in Vilnius County was once again triggered by a meteorological balloon that had initially been mistaken for a drone. The smuggling dimension remains active. Lithuanian authorities seized a shipment of cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps worth nearly EUR 2 million and prevented another attempt to transfer cigarettes across the border fence. At the same time, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that the country’s “position on the Belarusian issue remains unchanged” and reaffirmed Lithuania’s commitment to supporting Belarusian civil society while maintaining sanctions and political pressure on the Lukashenka regime. He made this statement at a meeting with representatives of Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, diaspora, independent media, the education sector, the business community and religious communities based in Lithuania held on 12 June in Vilnius.

A pronounced asymmetry continues along the borders. According to official data from Straż Graniczna, only nine attempts to cross the border illegally were recorded on the Polish section between 1 and 10 June. According to Valsts robežsardze, 707 attempts were registered on the Latvian section during the same period. Latvia remains the primary direction of migration pressure.

On 12 June, Deputy Foreign Minister Ihar Sakreta commented on the entry into force of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Belarusian side stated that reform of European migration legislation alone would not change the situation at the borders without the restoration of practical cooperation between Minsk and Brussels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again linked the migration crisis to sanctions, the termination of technical assistance programmes and the reduction of cooperation in border security. At the same time, Minsk confirmed its interest in resuming contacts with the European Union on combating illegal migration and transnational crime, effectively maintaining its previous negotiating position on migration-related issues.

On 14 June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Minsk on a working visit. The programme includes a meeting with Aliaksandr Lukashenka and talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhankou in both narrow and expanded formats. The parties are expected to discuss practical aspects of cooperation between their foreign ministries, bilateral relations, the international agenda and preparations for the joint board meeting of the Belarusian and Russian foreign ministries, which is scheduled to take place in Belarus in the fourth quarter of 2026.

As of 10 June, there were 869 political prisoners in Belarus, eight of whom had disabilities. At least 60 political prisoners had serious health problems, 30 of whom were over 60 years old and therefore in a special risk group. Human rights defenders stressed that these people need special and regular medical care, but providing such care in detention is problematic. The health of many political prisoners in custody is rapidly deteriorating due to the conditions of detention, and previously diagnosed chronic diseases are worsening. “For those whose state of health and serious illnesses cause them special suffering and put their lives at risk, release cannot be the subject of government manipulation, political discussions or insinuations. It must happen immediately, as the first step towards genuine national reconciliation,» said Pavel Sapelka, lawyer at “Viasna” Human Rights Centre.

On 12 June, the Interior Ministry added 40 more people to the “List of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”. Among them was Alexander Kovalenko, a citizen of Ukraine, who was convicted of “facilitating extremist activities”. There are now 6,703 names on the list.

On 2 June, mass searches and interrogations of graduates, students and other people related to the European Humanities University took place across Belarus as part of a criminal case on “facilitating extremist activities” and “financing extremist activities.” The searches continued on 3 and 4 June and throughout the past week. As of June 14, “Viasna” Human Rights Centre was already aware of more than 60 searches. Parents have been pressured to contact children studying at EHU and living in Lithuania and demand that they drop out and return to Belarus. Security forces have bluntly warned that failure to comply will result in parents’ detention. It is known that some relatives of the students have already been arrested. The KGB is also targeting EHU graduates from the years 2019 – 2025. They are required to provide graduation certificates. From the decision to initiate criminal proceedings demonstrated during one of the searches it became known that the basis for a criminal case was tuition fees paid to EHU starting in 2016. “Unidentified persons provided and collected funds, securities and other property no earlier than 30.04.2016 to deliberately support the extremist activities of the extremist organisation European Humanities University recognised as such by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus dated 14.04.2026,” the decision stated. The EHU announced an expansion of support measures for students, teachers and their families. It has intensified cooperation with Lithuanian government agencies, international partners, diplomatic missions and civil society organisations with the purpose of ensuring the safety of members of the university community and creating conditions for continuing their studies and professional activities. The EHU Rector Dr. Vilius Šadauskas stated that the well-being and safety of students, teachers, staff and their families remain an absolute priority of the university. “The regime is so afraid of people, free thinking, and new ideas that they use such disgusting methods to attack students. Sensing its weakness, it is trying to destroy everything that remains,” commented Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Iranian student Khateri Hadadadi, who was detained in mid-April for critical comments about the Iranian regime in Telegram, was deported from Belarus to Armenia and banned from entering the country for 30 years. Hadadadi was sentenced to 14 days of arrest, but she was not released after serving the term and was kept in custody until deportation. During her detention, she was denied access to a lawyer and the opportunity to contact her friends. “The Belarusian KGB officers spoke very rudely to me. They kept saying, ‘We are friends of Iran, and we are helping each other.’ They demanded that I apologise for my posts about Khamenei’s death and for rejoicing at the war. When I refused to apologise, the KGB officer told me: ‘You are a prostitute of America and Israel.’”

The Investigative Committee launched a special (in absentia) procedure investigation against Katsiaryna Mankevich, the vocalist of the Dymna Lotva group. She is charged with propaganda of terrorism, financing of “terrorist activities”, assistance to “extremist activities”, threat of violence against Lukashenka, and insulting Lukashenka.

The Korsakau family from Minsk was tried on charges of high treason. The verdict was handed down on 10 June by the Minsk City Court. Pelaheya Korsakava was sentenced to eleven years of imprisonment in absentia, and her parents, Tatsiana Korsakava and Dzmitri Korsakau, were sentenced to 12 and 14 years of imprisonment, respectively. They were also fined 50,000 rubles (approximately 15,320 Euro). Pelaheya has been living in Ukraine since 2021. Her parents were detained in September 2025. “Last September, on the 26th, my dad called me and said terrible words: “I was detained, your mother is in the hospital with a stroke; come home, everything is very bad.” After that, someone who did not introduce himself took his phone and continued: “Your parents are detained, if you want us to release them, you must come,” Pelaheya reported. Later, it became known that her mother had not actually been admitted to the hospital. The court found her parents guilty of high treason, illegal actions in relation to firearms, ammunition and explosives, and illegal movement of toxic substances, firearms, ammunition and explosives across the border. Pelaheya was found guilty of high treason. She called the accusations “absurd.”

The seized apartment of economist Pavel Daneyka, who was convicted in absentia, was auctioned off. The apartment was first put up for auction on 23 April for 737,000 rubles (approximately EUR 225,700), but no buyers came forward. It was put up for auction again on 11 June at a reduced price of 589,600 rubles (approximately EUR 180,570) and was sold to the sole bidder. In February 2025, the Minsk City Court sentenced Daneyka in absentia to 12 years of imprisonment and fined him 13,000 base units. According to the prosecution, in August 2020 Daneyka joined the Coordination Council and, “as a member thereof, took active steps to achieve the objectives of an unconstitutional seizure of state power”.

Starting from 1 July 2026, Belarusian banks will start operating under the new rules for remote customer service. One of the most notable changes concerns access to device geolocation. Some banks have already warned customers that it may not be possible to use a mobile bank without such permission. The innovation is explained by the fight against fraud. However, given the possible use of new data by law enforcement agencies and numerous evidence of the expansion of transnational repression, the main purpose of this innovation could be to obtain information about the whereabouts of Belarusians living abroad and limit their the ability to use bank services.

Following his release and forced expulsion from Belarus, Ales Bialiatski, Chair of “Viasna” Human Rights Centre and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, announced the creation of the Ales Bialiatski Foundation. The new organisation will work at the strategic intersection of human rights, peace-making, and regional security, strengthening the global human rights alliance in the situation of an unprecedented geopolitical crisis. Bialiatski noted that after his release at the end of 2025, he saw a changed world filled with deep global uncertainty. This prompted him to create a new organisation. Part of the funds received from the Nobel Peace Prize will be used for its activities.

On 8 June, Ales Bialiatski met with Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski in Warsaw. They discussed the activities of “Viasna” Human Rights Centre, founded by Bialiatski. Sikorski welcomed the recent registration in Poland of the Ales Bialiatski Foundation, which will protect and promote human rights. Radosław Sikorski thanked Bialiatski for participating in the Kościuszko Forum, which was held a week ago in Gdansk in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Solidarity Centre. “We in Poland are impressed by your unyielding position and modesty, and above all, we are deeply grateful for your consistency in the fight for human rights. We appreciate your independence and focus on protecting civil liberties,” Sikorski said during the conversation.

Andrzej Poczobut, a former political prisoner, journalist and activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus, visited Białystok after five years of imprisonment. The city and voivodeship authorities presented him with the Medal of Honor of Podlaskie Voivodeship. Marshal of the Voivodeship Łukasz Prokorym called the award the highest distinction of the region and noted that it was awarded to Poczobut as a role model of heroism and struggle for independence and truth. President of Białystok Tadeusz Truskolaski stressed that it is difficult to be a Pole in Belarus, and it is even more difficult to openly criticise the authorities.

On 24 June, an appeal hearing will be held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in the case of former Special Rapid Reaction Squad (SOBR) employee Yuri Harauski, accused of involvement in the enforced disappearances of three Belarusian opposition politicians in 1999. In 2019, Harauski confessed to journalists that he had been involved in the disappearances of former Interior Minister Yuri Zakharenka, former Deputy Prime Minister Viktar Hanchar and businessman Anatol Krasouski. Nevertheless, in September 2023, the Rorschach District Court acquitted him. The judge considered that Harauski had fabricated some of the testimony, and stated that his role in the abductions was unclear. Despite the acquittal, the case was considered a precedent. The court recognised the fact of the abduction and murder of three people and the involvement of representatives of the Belarusian authorities in these crimes. This was also the first time that crimes committed in Belarus have been considered by a Swiss court based on the principle of universal jurisdiction. The daughter of one of the disappeared politicians, Alena Zakharenka, who is the plaintiff in the case, expressed hope for a more careful consideration of the testimony of the accused in the appellate instance. According to her, the hearing in the court of first instance was compromised by numerous translation errors.

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Best regards, iSANS team