Belarus Review by iSANS — March 17, 2025 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels and media, between March 10 and March 16, at least six Russian and, likely, Ukrainian drones were detected in Belarusian airspace. One of them was spotted by residents of Mahilyow. Later, three drones crossed into Ukraine, while the fate of the others remains unknown. There were no reports of drones being intercepted in Belarusian airspace.

The Belarusian Armed Forces continued their combat readiness inspection. From March 10 to March 11, the main phase of exercises was conducted at the Barysauski training ground with units involved in the inspection. Minister of Defense Viktar Khrenin observed the maneuvers. The exercises focused on conducting mobile defense by a battalion tactical group in coordination with units of other branches of the military. While speaking with journalists, Khrenin made several statements regarding the upcoming “Zapad-2025” exercises. He noted: “The development of the exercise concept is still underway, but it has already been surrounded by all sorts of fabrications… We clearly understand why this is happening. Our task is to do our job.” On March 12, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that as part of the next phase of the inspection, reservists were being sent to units of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces. According to the ministry and telegram channels of military units, the 56^th Separate Signal Regiment, the 483^rd Separate Security and Service Battalion, and the 1072^nd Central Command Post were involved in the inspection. Throughout the week, reservists underwent combat training sessions and unit coordination exercises. Reports indicated that the servicemen were preparing for deployment to a “designated area.” On March 13, the Ministry reported that at the 72^nd Joint Training Center, a ceremony was held to honor reservists called up from the reserve who participated in the combat readiness inspection. This indicates that some of the reservists called up in early February have completed their participation in the inspection and will be returning home.

On March 11, it was reported that Iran’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Support, Aziz Nasirzadeh, arrived in Belarus on an official visit. On March 12, talks were held between Belarusian Minister of Defense Viktar Khrenin and his Iranian counterpart. The parties discussed the current state of bilateral military cooperation and outlined ways to enhance it in areas of mutual interest. Following the negotiations, a final protocol was signed. On the same day, Nasirzadeh met with the State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandr Valfovich. The two officials exchanged views on key international issues and discussed prospects for further cooperation.

From March 11 to April 15, military training exercises will be conducted with the mobilization of reservists from territorial troops in the Pastavy District of the Vitebsk Region, located near the Lithuanian border. It was noted that the exercises would test the readiness of a territorial troops’ unit equipped with fire support assets. Training sessions for reservists will take place both at Belarusian Armed Forces training grounds and in designated areas of the Pastavy District.

On March 12, it was reported that tactical exercises were conducted at the Liepielski training ground under the command of the 19^th Mechanized Brigade. Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveika observed the exercises. Tank and mechanized units practiced combat operations in a defensive setting, taking and fortifying positions, camouflaging equipment, and conducting reconnaissance using drones.

On March 12, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that tactical exercises were being held at the Damanava training ground with units of the 15^th Air Defense Missile Brigade, equipped with “S-400” and “Tor-M2K” systems. During the exercises, servicemen successfully repelled an airstrike by a simulated enemy. Special attention was given to organizing the security and defense of positions. Personnel also participated in a bilateral training battle, practicing counteractions against enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

On March 14, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, in an interview with Russian propagandist Olga Skabeyeva, stated that Belarus is indeed producing launchers for the “Oreshnik” missile system. According to him, “And I am personally overseeing the production of these launchers. By the end of the year, I believe, we will have two launchers ready for service.”

On March 14, the State Authority for Military Industry reported that JSC “ALEVKURP,” in cooperation with enterprises from the defense sector, conducted another round of testing for the “Klen” short-range radar station. The tests confirmed the station’s capability to effectively detect small-sized drones. Additionally, specialists examined the potential integration of JSC “ALEVKURP” radar systems into a mobile complex designed to counter small drones.

During the period under review, the leader of the Belarusian Democratic Forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, visited Strasbourg for a series of high-level meetings and speeches. She addressed the European Parliament and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, as well as met with key European politicians, including European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. On March 11, a special plenary session of the European Parliament dedicated to International Women’s Day took place in Strasbourg, France. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and recently released former political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk addressed approximately 700 members of Parliament. Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Parliament, emphasizing that Belarus is an integral part of Europe and reaffirming her commitment to democratic change. She highlighted the plight of Belarusian political prisoners, the struggle against Russian imperial ambitions, and the need for stronger support for Belarusian civil society, independent media, and resistance efforts. Tsikhanouskaya called on European leaders to increase pressure on the Lukashenka regime and “recognize Belarus’s role in ensuring lasting peace and security in Europe.” In her speech, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, in turn, stated that she had been held hostage by Lukashenka’s regime for four years, enduring what she described as “the hell of the dictator’s prisons, where the methods of physical and psychological destruction from Stalin’s Gulag remain unchanged.” “Four years of complete isolation from the world, from my children and loved ones. Four years in solitary confinement, transport in prison wagons, 270 days in punishment cells — places of isolation and torture. But I endured and emerged free.” The former political prisoner urged the international community not to believe the Lukashenka regime’s claims that political prisoners are allegedly being released out of humanitarian considerations. She called on the European Parliament to intensify real pressure on the regime, not only through the introduction of new sanctions but also by ensuring their strict enforcement. On March 12, Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, speaking before ambassadors and diplomats from 46 countries. She highlighted key regional security concerns and the growing threat of Russian control over Belarus. She stressed that the country has effectively become a military outpost for Russia, with the regime supporting weapons production and preparing for new joint military exercises. “I do not believe that Belarusian troops will join the war as there is a strong anti-war consensus in our society. But we cannot rule out that Belarus will once again be used for aggression. We must demand the withdrawal of Russian troops, including nuclear weapons, from both Ukraine and Belarus. Only this can guarantee lasting and stable peace in the region.”

The U.S. Agency for Global Media has notified the media corporation Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that it is terminating the federal grant that funded its operations, according to the RFE/RL website. RFE/RL President Stephen Capus responded, stating that “the cancellation of the grant agreement for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty would be a huge gift to America’s enemies. Iranian ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years.” In December 2021, the Lukashenka regime designated the Belarusian service of RFE/RL as an extremist organization.

Belarus may be added to the list of countries whose citizens could face “sharp restrictions” on entry to the United States, reportedly also applying to holders of immigration visas. This is mentioned in a draft circulating within Donald Trump’s administration, according to The New York Times, citing officials familiar with the situation.

Fighters of the Belarusian battalion “Volat” (one of the units within the Kalinouski Regiment) are being forcibly transferred to other units. According to volunteer Dzyanis Urbanovich, this is happening “at gunpoint.” A report about the forced transfer appeared on several Telegram channels and was later confirmed by Urbanovich in a comment to Nasha Niva. “We don’t understand what is happening,” he said. It remains unclear which specific units the Ukrainians are transferring the Belarusian fighters to or the reason behind this decision. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, on March 15, the fighters of the Kalinouski Regiment said their farewells to the soldier with the call sign “Lych.” The Belarusian fighter died while performing a combat mission in southern Ukraine in early March 2025.

On March 13, Lukashenka has arrived in the Russian Federation on an official visit. On the same day, he negotiated with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, followed by joint press-conference. Lukashenka and Putin signed several official documents including “the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on measures for mutual protection of citizens from unjustified prosecution by foreign states and international justice bodies”. On March 14, Lukashenka was awarded the Badge of Honor “For Contribution to the Development of Parliamentarism” of the Federation Council of Federal Assembly of Russia.

On March 15, the Kremlin announced that Vladimir Putin and Aliaksandr Lukashenka agreed to meet on May 9 in Moscow during the parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Meanwhile, it became known that Putin’s aide, Vladimir Medinsky, wants to create a monument in Belarus to Ivan Paskevich, the Russian field marshal who brutally suppressed the 1830–31 uprising in present-day Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania. The uprising was brutally crushed, leading to the Russian authorities abolishing all privileges of the Kingdom of Poland. Medinsky, who is also the head of the Russian Military-Historical Society and a former Russian Minister of Culture, discussed with Lukashenka’s administration chief, Dzmitry Krutoi, which monuments should be installed in Belarus. He also proposed a monument to Soviet Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky.

In a recent interview with Russian propaganda media, Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke about his attitude toward Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating: “Volodya was like a son to me, but he acted like a nit.” The official representative of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heorhiy Tsikhy, responded to yet another insult directed at the Ukrainian president: “Insults against the leader of the Ukrainian state are unacceptable, especially from an accomplice in the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Moreover, venturing into the field of entomology will certainly not benefit the cockroach.” The slogan “Stop the Cockroach!” was coined by blogger and activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski during the 2020 presidential campaign. Later, it was repeatedly chanted at rallies and protest actions.

On March 16, Latvia halted vehicle processing at the only officially open border crossing between Belarus and Latvia “Grigorovshchina” during the day, resuming traffic only late in the evening. Additionally, a barrier appeared on the Latvian side. Earlier, on March 11, Latvia’s State Security Service stated that the list of individuals prohibited from traveling to Belarus and Russia should be expanded. The agency also reminded of the security risks posed by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services. Regarding travel to Belarus, since 2024, an average of about 5,000 trips per month have reportedly been recorded.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, by Resolution No. 41 of February 12, approved the instruction on making decisions on the deprivation and restoration of the right to free medical care of certain categories of citizens in the healthcare organizations of the internal affairs bodies. The document entered into force on March 13. The instruction concerns family members of employees of some law enforcement agencies who are legally entitled to free medical care in departmental clinics. It also applies to pensioners who served in these bodies and their family members. The instruction prescribes that the fact of prosecution under several articles of the Administrative Code will be ground for the deprivation of free medical care and states that the information center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will check whether there are records on prosecution under the listed charges in the relevant database. The list of administrative offenses for which the right to free medical care can be deprived includes several “extremist offenses”, including the manufacture and distribution of “extremist” information products, disobeying an official, insulting an official, violating the procedure for holding mass events, that is, charges that are often used to persecute dissidents.

The Reform.news account on TikTok @reformculture was recognized as “extremist materials”. The decision was made by the Dzerzhinski district court on March 12.

The Belarusian authorities have put Aleh Aheyeu, Deputy chair of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), on the international wanted list. It is not specified which article of the Criminal Code he is charged with. In March 2023, the BAJ was recognized in Belarus as an “extremist formation”. According to Aheyeu, the decision of the authorities included the names of those whom the KGB considered to be members of the organization. “This is already a reason to open a criminal case against the deputy chair of the organization. That’s, probably, how it happened,” Aheyeu said. He pointed out that he may as well be prosecuted for other reasons, since in Belarus “it is now possible to criminalize various actions” in violation with international standards. “I definitely did not commit any crimes. But the peaceful exercise of human rights is currently prohibited in most cases in Belarus,” Aheyeu commented.

The management of the Belarusian Association of Journalists has been put on the wanted list by the Russian Interior Ministry. The list does not indicate under what charges Russian law enforcement officers are looking for Barys Haretski and Aleh Aheyeu, the deputy chairs of the BAJ. “Most likely, this was done at the request of the Belarusian criminal prosecution authorities and means that some criminal cases have been opened against us in Belarus,” says Aleh Aheyeu. The Russian database of wanted persons does not specify the article of the Criminal Code under which the person on the list is being prosecuted, there is only the date and place of birth, citizenship and a note that the search is criminal. “I think the Belarusian authorities have submitted a request for my search to Interpol, and Russia, the ally of Belarus, I was added to list in accordance with the national procedure,” Aleh Aheyeu commented, — “Every country that is a member of Interpol (and Belarus and Russia are still members of Interpol) can carry out such a search on its territory. That is, if the criminal prosecution authorities have placed a certain person on the so-called international wanted list, each Interpol country can also put him on the national wanted list in accordance with its national procedures.”

The data of the editor-in-chief of Reform.news, Fyodar Paulyuchenka, appeared in the Russian wanted list, maintained by the Russian Interior Ministry. The reason for the search is stated as “wanted under the article of the Criminal Code.” Paulyuchenka probably got into the Russian database at the request of the Belarusian authorities. In Belarus, he is involved in several criminal cases related to politics. The regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka uses criminal prosecution to fight his opponents, as well as journalists and other representatives of civil society. The content of the Belarusian independent media Reform.news has been recognized as “extremist materials”.

The Rechitsa district Prosecutor’s Office sent a criminal case to the court accusing a 21-year-old person of “organizing group actions that grossly violate public order and involve clear disobedience to the legitimate demands of government officials”. “As was established during the preliminary investigation, on August 12, 2020, the accused posted messages in the “Brest 97%” public telegram chat, where he persuaded citizens to participate in unauthorized mass events on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. He called for group actions grossly violating public order coupled with clear disobedience to the legitimate demands of government representatives to be carried out during such events”, the prosecutor’s office stated. The “Brest 97%” chat was recognized as “extremist materials” on March 17, 2021. The accused is currently in custody. For a post he uploaded at the age of 16 years old, he faces a penalty up to four years of imprisonment.

The Minsk Regional Court sentenced Latvian citizen Juris Ganin to six years of imprisonment in a high-security colony. He was found guilty of “discrediting” Belarus, “slandering” Aliaksandr Lukashenka and “calling for sanctions” against Belarus. Ganin was sentenced on February 19, but human rights activists have only now become aware of his sentence. The details of the case are unknown. According to “Viasna” Human Rights Center there are 36 foreign citizens in detention facilities in Belarus, including four Latvian citizens. Since 2020, at least 75 foreigners have been subjected to political persecution in Belarus.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has added 28 more persons to the “List of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”. Among them is Vitsebsk doctor Aliaksandr Randarenka, who was sentenced to four years of imprisonment at the end of 2024. He was accused of inciting hostility and rehabilitating fascism. Randarenka was detained in the spring of 2024. He was beaten during the arrest. Before the criminal case was initiated, he was placed under administrative arrest five times in a row. There are now 5051 persons on the “List of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”.

It became known about the death of a former political prisoner, Valyantsin Ivanouski, a resident of Lida. He was detained in July 2022 on charges of insulting Lukashenka and sentenced to two years of imprisonment. He was released in May 2024, but died three months later. The cause of death is unknown. Valyantsin Ivanouski was 48 years old.

A food parcel for political prisoner Uladzimir Hundar was accepted the first time in almost two years. For the last year and a half, he has been held in prison regime in Mahilyow. He was deprived of visits and food parcels, but it is not known for what reason. Contact with him is possible only through correspondence and phone calls. Hundar, a 64-year—old local historian from Baranavichi, has a second group disability, he has one leg missing above the knee. In the pre-trial detention center, he partially lost his hearing in one ear. Later his hearing recovered, but he still needs to take medication. He suffered a hypertensive crisis during the detention and had high blood pressure. In 2022, Hundar, who had already been sentenced to two years of imprisonment for assaulting a policeman, was sentenced to another 18 years of imprisonment. He was one of the defendants in the “Autukhovich case”. In January 2023, he was sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment for insulting the prosecutor’s office employee.

A special plenary session of the European Parliament dedicated to International Women’s Day was held in Strasbourg on March 11. Sviatlana Tiskhanouskaya and former political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk addressed the parliamentarians. Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk said in her speech that she had been a hostage of the Lukashenka regime for four years and “went through the hell of the prisons of the dictator, who preserved unchanged the methods of physical and mental extermination of the Stalinist GULAG”. She stressed that she is now free thanks to, among others, the principled position of the MEPs. Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk recalled that thousands of other political prisoners are still behind bars, including Yauhen Afnagel, Maxim Vinyarski, Andrei Voynich, Pavel Yukhnevich. “There has been no information about many of the political prisoners for more than two years, including one of the leaders of the Belarusian nation, Mikalai Statkevich. It is unknown if he is alive at all. The situation of women political prisoners, Victoria Kulsha, Alena Hnauk, Volha Mayorava, is catastrophic. I worry about their lives,” Sharenda-Panasyuk said. She urged MEPs not to believe the Belarusian authorities that political prisoners are being released out of humanity and called on the European Parliament to increase pressure on the regime, not only through the introduction of new sanctions and careful monitoring of their implementation, but also through a complete blockade and trade embargo. “The regime must become a complete pariah in political, economic and sporting terms. <…> Without a free Belarus, the existence of freedom and democracy in Europe will always be under threat, including from Russian aggression. Victory in Ukraine will not be possible and complete without a free Belarus. <…> We are fighting for the values on which the European Union is based. We need your help in this fight,” she stressed.

On March 11, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola discussed the situation of political prisoners in Belarus and cooperation between the European Parliament and the Belarusian democratic forces. Tsikhanouskaya informed Metsola about the conclusions of “Viasna” Human Rights Center’ s report on systematic violations of women’s rights in detention. She stressed the importance of active cooperation between democratic forces and European structures. The possibility of a wider representation of the Belarusian democratic forces at the events of the European Parliament was discussed. Tsikhanouskaya also noted “the vital need to support independent journalism and human rights initiatives”.

An action of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners #EPStandsBYyou was conducted in the European Parliament. The campaign was initiated by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. From March 10 to March 13, MEPs signed and sent postcards to Belarusians, who are illegally detained in Belarusian prisons. More than 500 MEPs signed the postcards. “The purpose of the campaign was to remind that 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus are known about, they are being fought for, and their release remains a priority of the international community,” Tsikhanouskaya’s office commented.

On March 11, the Minister of Defense of Belarus, Viktar Khrenin, once again stated that Belarus poses no threat to anyone. However, he noted that the situation around the country “cannot be called peaceful”: “The fact is that in our neighboring states, military training activities have increased tenfold. Today, the troops of Poland, the Baltic countries, NATO, and the U.S. are near our state borders. We see a set of preemptive infrastructure preparations — roads, ports, and the reinforcement of bridges.” He believes that the West “does not want peace or stability” and that everyone is “only further inciting aggression, calling for continued military actions, for example, in Ukraine.”

During this period, propagandists closely monitored the actions of Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Kursk region, expressing support for Russia. Pro-government expert Aliaksandr Shpakouski wrote on his Telegram channel on March 12 that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Syrskyi, “blatantly slept through the Russian operation”: “In political terms, the Ukrainian plan has failed. Using the Kursk bridgehead in negotiations with Russia, let alone exchanging it for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, will not work. Zelenskyy and his entourage suffered another significant blow.” His colleague Aliaksei Dzermant echoed him: “God willing, comrade, that they liberate our native Kursk land as soon as possible. And all of Ukraine. This is our world.”

Last week, Aliaksandr Lukashenka visited Moscow, where he met with Vladimir Putin. Propagandists actively covered the visit, emphasizing that Putin met with Lukashenka first, only afterward meeting with Trump’s special envoy, Steven Witkoff. Pro-government political analyst Andrei Lazutkin, writing for Minskaya Pravda, stated: “Our presidents are now discussing both the nuclear umbrella and what lies beneath it. Because, unlike the Americans, we do not need profits in the military-industrial complex for the sake of profits: ‘Oreshniks’ and ‘Topols’ are merely means to ensure security, jobs, and a peaceful, prosperous life for every citizen of the Union State. So, ‘Batka’ [Lukashenka] enters Putin’s reception room first, and little Trump will wait.” In Moscow, Lukashenka was extremely talkative — whether in conversations with journalists, during the press conference with Putin, or while speaking at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. He admitted that Belarus does not yet have “Oreshniks” missiles but noted that both sides are working on it: “…It turned out that, besides the missile, everything else needs to be manufactured. And we are doing this in Belarus. Therefore, we are working on it. Several launch systems intended for ‘Oreshnik’ are already nearly complete. We will need the missile from our elder brother.” The dictator claimed that voter turnout in the recent “presidential elections” in Belarus was allegedly very high, as was the number of votes cast in his favor. In his opinion, this was also a vote in favor of allied relations with Russia: “Are we with Russia, our eastern vector, where our cradle lies, or somewhere else? Well, here is the answer. The people have given their response. This issue has always been present, quietly and without publicity, in all our elections. Therefore, do not hesitate for a moment. Not only me, but my colleagues — government members, deputies — are supporters of our closest relations.”

Lukashenka stated that Russia and Belarus “have everything necessary to live normally,” whereas Ukraine “has nothing, and Europe will not help them.” He did not miss the opportunity to comment on Europe’s rearmament plan, expressing doubts that Europeans, first, would be able to reach an agreement among themselves, and second, that they could “somehow come up with” 800 billion euros to implement the plan. “They would better make sure they do not lose that [nuclear] ‘umbrella’ over France. Rather than trying to hold this ‘umbrella’ over all of Europe. That’s the first point. Secondly, let them at least lift their ‘umbrella’ over Germany. Or, figuratively speaking, share nuclear weapons with Germany — their eternal historical enemy. It seems like they have made peace now. But who knows… They have a colossal number of grievances against each other. The Poles and Germans — you know… There are plenty of contradictions there.” He also believes that if Russia manages to reach an agreement with the U.S., then “it will be the end for Europe and Ukraine together.” On March 13, he told journalists that he could “absolutely confidently” say that the Americans have “absolutely no plan” regarding the conflict in Ukraine, referring to their current actions as “testing the waters.” He is convinced that “it is impossible to pressure Russia” because the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus are ineffective, so the problem will not be resolved just because “Donald comes in and bangs his fist.” Among other things, he advised Russians “not to fall for Trump’s tricks”: “Because in this regard, he is your guy — he is a media person, he can make statements — one thing in the morning, another in the evening. And it’s easy to mislead us, you.” – he told Russian propagandists.

The following day, speaking at the Federation Council, the Belarusian dictator reiterated that the American president currently has no real plan to end the Russian aggression against Ukraine: “Yes, Donald wants to stop the war. Thank him for that. If he sincerely cares about the fact that people are dying, then it must be stopped. Thank him for that. But at the same time, we must stand firmly in our positions. No one should push us aside. And, God forbid, as we say now, deceive us or lead us around by the nose.” Addressing Russian senators, Lukashenka emphasized that the decision to create the Union State was correct but lamented “narratives about Minsk’s dependency.” In his opinion, against the backdrop of sanctions, “Russia has finally realized that Belarus is important to Russia and that Belarus has many things Russia desperately needs.” For example, he claimed that Russia once faced a microelectronics problem due to sanctions, but he supposedly resolved the issue with the help of Belarusian specialists: “A designer quietly, so that no one could hear, whispered in my ear: tell Putin that if something needs to fly, we guarantee it. If something needs to shoot, it will shoot. We will fit our chips into any plane, into any wing, do not worry.”

At the same time, Lukashenka emphasized that Belarus will not become part of Russia: “People in both Belarus and Russia still think in old ways. ‘Here is the union of Belarus and Russia, the Union State — where is it, when will it happen?’ And what do you want? What, when will it be? When Russia joins Belarus or, vice versa, Belarus joins Russia? Guys, that is unlikely to happen anytime soon.” Moreover, he believes that introducing a single currency between Belarus and Russia is currently unnecessary. The politician also responded to accusations of pursuing a multi-vector policy: “Many years ago, perhaps someone remembers, I said that Belarus will never allow a strike in the back of its elder brother, the Russian people, meaning Russians. We remain true to this promise today, reliably protecting and safeguarding our union, we are not drifting. We are not drifting to one side or the other.” Lukashenka also boasted that Belarus and Russia have at their disposal a regional group of forces, a unified regional air defense system, and that Russia has transferred tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. Soon, the Belarusian army will receive the latest hypersonic weapons systems, “Oreshnik,” which he is already prepared to “deploy.” On the same day, in an interview with Russian propagandist Olga Skabeeva, Lukashenka again called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “nit”: “… He, Volodya, was like a son to me, but he acted like a nit.” He admitted that some Ukrainian representatives are in contact with Vladimir Putin but did not name them. The dictator also told Skabeeva that Russia and Belarus “have had enough of war,” so they do not plan to attack European countries: “And I tell you that neither Putin nor the Russian leadership is planning any war. And there will be no war in five years.” However, he also repeated his recent claim that he was unaware of Russia’s impending attack on Ukraine in February 2022 and that Russian soldiers entered Kyiv through Belarus simply because it was a more convenient route home after exercises.