Belarus Review by iSANS — March 31, 2025 

According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, between March 24 and March 30, at least three Russian drones were detected in Belarusian airspace. Later, two drones crossed into Ukraine, while the fate of the third remains unknown. There were no reports of drones being intercepted in Belarusian airspace.

On March 24, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense reported that the State Secretariat of the Security Council had begun a combat readiness inspection of the Armed Forces of Belarus. It was noted that personnel from one of the military units of the Hrodna garrison (specifically, the 78^th Separate Mechanized Battalion of the 6^th Mechanized Brigade) were tasked with defending a designated area and conducting live-fire exercises with standard weapons. On March 27, the Ministry of Defense reported that State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandr Valfovich visited the Hozhski training ground, where exercises were underway. He noted that last week, several units of the Belarusian Armed Forces underwent inspection — “duty units, constant readiness units from mechanized brigades.” This week (March 24 – 30) marked the main phase of the inspection. “A battalion tactical group of a mechanized brigade from the Western Operational Command has been formed. […] The battalion conducted a march to the training ground, where it was tasked with repelling an unexpected enemy incursion across the state border, inflicting fire damage, and pursuing, destroying, and pushing the adversary back to the border line,” said Valfovich. Overall, March 27 marked the final phase of the inspection.

Between March 24 and March 28, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that control exercises in tactical-special training were conducted within the communication troops. In field conditions, new methods for organizing communications and combat deployment of command post communication hubs were tested, taking into account the experience of modern armed conflicts. According to the military information agency “Vayar,” over 150 communication hubs at various command levels were deployed during the exercises, with more than 1,700 servicemen involved.

On March 24, the press service of the Internal Troops reported that company-level tactical-special exercises were conducted in the 11^th Separate Special Battalion (military unit 7434). The purpose of the exercises was to reinforce servicemen’s skills in detecting and eliminating sabotage and reconnaissance groups operating near the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant. During the training, part of which took place at night, servicemen practiced searching for and detaining drone operators, setting ambushes, blocking enemy forces, and eliminating them.

On March 25, the military information agency “Vayar” reported that tactical exercises were conducted with a mechanized battalion of the 11^th Mechanized Brigade. According to the exercise scenario, the servicemen were required to covertly advance to designated positions (on foot and using “BMP-2” infantry fighting vehicles), fortify the area with defensive structures, prepare firing positions, and repel an attack by a simulated enemy.

From March 25 to April 18, training exercises with reservists from territorial troops are being conducted in Hrodna. During the exercises, reservists will be called up and trained to perform their designated tasks. Additionally, the formation and deployment of a people’s militia unit will be practiced. Anti-tank artillery units of the territorial troops will participate in the training. The exercises will conclude with command-and-staff drills, during which the reservists will practice protecting critical infrastructure facilities in Hrodna and the Hrodna district.

On March 26, a combat readiness inspection began in the 8^th Brigade of Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection, according to reports from the brigade’s social media accounts. During the inspection, reservists were called up. It was noted that during the training, they would be assigned to their designated military positions, familiarize themselves with military and special equipment in service, and refresh their weapons-handling skills.

On March 28, Belarusian tank unit servicemen traveled to Russia for training at the joint combat training center of the Belarusian and Russian armed forces. At the 333^rd Combat Training Center, tank crews will undergo combat coordination as part of their unit. The training program has been designed based on the experience of modern armed conflicts. According to Uladzimir Bely, head of the Main Directorate for Combat Training of the Belarusian Armed Forces, the training is part of the bilateral military cooperation plan with the Russian Armed Forces. “This is an opportunity to adopt advanced combat training methods. […] By the final stage of coordination, we will have a well-formed and cohesive combat system capable of carrying out real combat missions,” said Bely. Since 2022, tank units from all mechanized brigades of the Belarusian army have undergone training in Russia.

On March 28, as part of an official visit to Myanmar, Minister of Defense Viktar Khrenin met with Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing. According to Khrenin, traditional friendly ties and mutual respect form the foundation of successful cooperation between the two countries. “Our interstate relations are based on trust, equality, and mutual benefit. Belarus and Myanmar share a commitment to a multipolar system of international relations and an independent foreign policy,” he stated.

Satellite images recently published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and taken on February 24, 2025, revealed significant military construction near Asipovichy, Mahilyow region, where Russian “Iskander” missile systems are deployed alongside an artillery ammunition base. This base has been previously identified by The New York Times and the Federation of American Scientists as a potential storage site for Russian nuclear weapons. Construction in the military unit began in 2022, with three new hangars capable of housing an entire brigade of “Iskander-M” launchers, along with additional infrastructure such as administrative buildings, warehouses, and military housing. Similar developments have been observed at the unit, home to the 1405^th artillery ammunition base, where construction started in March 2023 — at the time when Putin announced Russia’s plans to station nuclear weapons in Belarus. Further evidence suggests an expansion of personnel and security measures, including the procurement of perimeter defense systems and the construction of a dedicated railway line connecting the base to Asipovichy. Additionally, documents indicate the establishment of a “iodine prophylaxis” site in a nearby village, a measure typically associated with radiation exposure preparedness.

During a working visit to Tallinn, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the opening of a new Office of Belarusian Democratic Forces in Estonia, which she officially inaugurated. The office will be led by Vital Malchanau, her representative in Estonia and Latvia and Deputy Representative for Social Policy at the United Transitional Cabinet. The event gathered prominent Estonian and Belarusian politicians, as well as diplomats from several European and North American countries. In her speech, Tsikhanouskaya thanked Estonia’s Foreign Ministry for its support and emphasized the shared historical struggle for freedom and European values. She highlighted Estonia’s role in assisting Belarusian and Ukrainian refugees while stressing the importance of unity in countering Russian imperial ambitions. “Estonians understand all too well what occupation means. You see what is happening today in the occupied territories of Ukraine, in Belarus — and who is behind it. That is why we — Belarusians, Estonians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Georgians, and Moldovans — must stand together. We must do everything possible to prevent Putin from restoring the Russian empire, the ‘prison of nations’.” During the visit, Tsikhanouskaya also met with key Estonian politicians, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Mayor of Tallinn, and the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry. She expressed gratitude for Estonia’s continued support of the Belarusian 1democratic forces, financial assistance to the repressed, and its role in international advocacy for Belarus. In discussions with Speaker Lauri Hussar, they addressed the sanctions policy, Belarus’s role in Ukraine negotiations, and the importance of distinguishing Belarusians from the Lukashenka regime. Meetings also covered political prisoners, media support, regional security, and further integration of Belarusians in Estonia, with plans for establishing a new mandate of a special envoy for democratic Belarus.

After her visit to Tallinn, Tsikhanouskaya arrived in Vilnius to deliver a speech in the Lithuanian Parliament, marking the Belarusian Freedom Day on March 25. There, she stressed that the goal of Belarusians is “to free themselves from the tyranny of Lukashenka” and “return Belarus to the family of European nations”. Tsikhanouskaya also added that Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania make the country stronger by creating jobs and paying taxes. “Belarusians respect Lithuanian sovereignty and territorial integrity. We condemn all attempts to use history as a weapon,” said Tsikhanouskaya. However, she noted that the previously announced project of the “New Belarus Passport” will be transferred to another country, while urging Lithuanian officials to continue issuing residence permits and international protection to Belarusians. After the announcement, the initiative caused a lot of discussions among the Lithuanian politicians, who remained skeptical about the possibility of issuing “New Belarus Passports” in the country. Meanwhile, Tsikhanouskaya appealed to Belarusians, congratulating them on the Belarusian Freedom Day and calling on the people to support each other “on this hard way to independence”.

Amid the Belarusian Freedom Day on March 25, 2025, members of the European Parliament, including EP President Roberta Metsola, issued a statement in support of Belarusians. The MEPs reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Belarus’s European path and pledged continued cooperation with the United Transitional Cabinet led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In addition, Lithuanian President Nauseda congratulated the Belarusians, and the national white-red-white flag was raised near the country’s Parliament building. “Lithuanians and Belarusians share a centuries-old common history, and our nations are united by a sincere friendship that has stood the test of time,” said Nauseda. He also assured that Lithuania would continue to support Belarusian civil society. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia also congratulated Belarusians on Freedom Day. In addition, officials and politicians from the U.S., Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, Sweden, and Netherlands have expressed their solidarity with Belarusians on this occasion.

On March 29, around a hundred Polish entrepreneurs held a protest in the center of Bialystok, demanding the resumption of cross-border movement between Poland and Belarus. The demonstrators symbolically “buried” the region’s economy, which has suffered due to the closure of border crossings. The suspension of cross-border traffic has reportedly led to a wave of layoffs and bankruptcies across various economic sectors in the region. Meanwhile, Polish authorities have reportedly completed the modernization of the electronic barrier on a section of the border with Belarus in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, according to the Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration.

Belarusian companies have established the production and supply of a new product, the anti-icing agent “Norta”, to the EU. This product is actually technical salt, which Belarus used to export to the EU in large quantities before the sanctions were imposed. Its real manufacturer is the sanctioned company “Belaruskali,” according to a new investigation by the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC). Nevertheless, the product attracted the interest of buyers from the European Union, while 66 tons of “Norta” were set to be delivered to Poland’s JP Company in March 2024. This was stated in a quality certificate obtained by BIC from a source in the cargo shipping industry.

Four U.S. soldiers went missing during tactical training in Lithuania, not far from its border with Belarus, officials said on March 26. The soldiers were in a training area near the town of Pabrade, which is about 30 miles south of the capital, Vilnius, and 6 miles from Lithuania’s border with Belarus. Lithuania’s military has not confirmed the exact details of what happened, but local media reports that the four may have drowned after their “M88A2 Hercules” armored vehicle became trapped in swampy terrain.

Anzhalika Melnikava, the speaker of the Belarusian Coordination Council, mysteriously disappeared on March 25, and there has been no contact with her since then, the Сouncil reported on March 28. “We hope for the best, but we understand that representatives of Belarusian democratic forces remain priority targets of security services of the Belarusian and Russian regimes,” the Council said on Telegram. Polish authorities have been notified of Melnikava’s disappearance and are working to establish her whereabouts in cooperation with the council and foreign governments. However, independent outlet Nasha Niva reported that the speaker flew to the U.K. without informing anyone of her plans. In 2022, Melnikava established a fund which was aimed to find financial means for “Belarusian Cyberpartisans”. As of March 30, her location was still unclear, while it became known that her ex-husband had arrived in Belarus from Warsaw. On March 31, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet Pavel Latushka claimed that “technical specialists revealed that Melnikava’s phone has appeared in Belarus since March 19”.

After returning to Belarus from Poland, 64-year-old Zhanna Vaynilovich was detained. According to “Viasna” Human Rights Center, this happened at the end of January. She was detained not at the border, but a few days after she crossed it. She is charged with organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order or actively participating in them, for allegedly participating in post-election protests. Over the last months, human rights defenders have regularly documented cases of detention of Belarusians coming to the country from exile for visiting their family members, renewing passports, or other pressing needs.

An Israeli citizen who also holds Belarusian citizenship was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest under an “extremist” charge in February. The man’s name was not disclosed at the request of the family. According to his family, he was arrested for subscribing to “extremist” content, although he was only subscribed to a Facebook group where life in Israel and Belarus was discussed. The real reason for the arrest was the participation of the man’s son in a demonstration in support of the Belarusian people in Israel. After the demonstration, the son received threats against him and his family members. The arrested man was starved and tortured in detention, the family says. Now he is in serious condition: he has lost weight, is seriously weakened, and his hair have turned gray. The Belarusian authorities also confiscated his documents, and he had to apply to the Israeli embassy for a temporary passport in order to return to Israel.

On March 24, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Belarusian PEN, Human Constanta, “Viasna” Human Rights Center, Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, the Legal Initiative, Lawtrend, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Respect-Protect-Fulfill, the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities called on the international community to “use all available diplomatic means of influence” on the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka in order to stop the repression and release political prisoners. Their joint statement was published on the website of “Viasna” Human Rights Center. The authors of the document also urged “not to allow measures to support and strengthen the regime” and “to support the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus and the Belarusian civil society”. It was stated that the electoral event held in Belarus on January 26 “did not meet international standards for holding democratic and free elections”, as it “took place in conditions of a deep human rights crisis, in an atmosphere of total fear caused by repression against civil society, independent media, the opposition and all dissidents”. “The de facto leadership of Belarus bears full responsibility for gross and massive human rights violations, a number of which have been classified by the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus as crimes against humanity, including criminal prosecution of citizens for political reasons, the use of torture and other prohibited treatment, and suppression of freedom of speech, assembly, and association. These crimes cannot go unpunished and should be the subject of judicial proceedings both within the framework of international mechanisms and at the domestic level”, the document emphasized.

“Viasna” Human Rights Center reported on several arrests that were carried out on March 25. According to preliminary information, they are connected with the “Hajun case”. In early February, the security forces gained access to a chatbot of the Belarusian Hajun monitoring project. After that, the project announced its termination. According to BYSOL, evacuation requests in connection with the incident were received from more than 150 persons.

On March 25, the day of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s inauguration, access to Belarusian websites for users from abroad was restricted from 19:00 on March 24 to 23:59 on March 25. Belarusian providers have already restricted access to virtual hosting from abroad earlier this year, from 10:00 on January 25 to 23:59 on January 27, around the time of the presidential “elections” on 26 January 2025. The restrictions were explained by “threats to information infrastructure facilities and information processed with their help”.

According to propaganda telegram channels, security forces identified 260 participants in Freedom Day rallies last week in Bialystok, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Vilnius, Berlin, Philadelphia, Chicago, Alberta and Miami. Allegedly, 98 participants of the actions had not previously come to the attention of the security forces. According to the propagandists, the information received will be used “for undertaking procedural decisions in criminal cases”. Participants of protest actions dedicated to Freedom Day in 2024 were persecuted in the framework of a special procedure.

The Investigative Committee has opened another criminal case against Leanid Sudalenka, a human rights defender and former political prisoner, for “facilitating extremist activities”. On March 26, several law enforcement officers and a prosecutor came to his place of registration in Homel to draw up a report on his absence from home. This is the third criminal case against Sudalenka. In November 2021, he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment on charges of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order. He served his sentence, was released in 2023 and emigrated to Lithuania, but the repression against him have not stop. In 2024, he was sentenced in absentia to five years of imprisonment for “facilitating extremist activities”.

Mikita Yemelyanau, a political prisoner and the anarchist, who has been imprisoned since 2019 and was due to be released in 2025, was sentenced to another year of imprisonment for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration”. In February 2020, he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in a high-security colony, but the Minsk City Court reduced the sentence to four years on appeal. In May 2021, Yemelyanau was transferred to a prison regime. There he was tried on charges of malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration. In March 2022, two more years of imprisonment were imposed on him and he was sent to serve his sentence in Valkavysk colony No. 11. A year later, in March 2023, the court decided to transfer him to prison regime again. He was placed in Hrodna prison No. 1. Now Yemelyanau was tried again for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration” and yet another year of imprisonment was added to his sentence. His total term is now seven years of imprisonment. Yemelyanau turned 25 on March 24. It was his sixth birthday in captivity.

The administration of the colony in Navapolatsk extended the strict regime of detention of Andrzej Poczobut, journalist and activist of the Union of Poles of Belarus, for another six months. Poczobut, in particular, is forbidden to go out into the open air, which negatively affects his health. Andrzej Poczobut was arrested four years ago and sentenced to eight years of imprisonment in a high-security colony for allegedly “inciting hatred” and “acting to the detriment of Belarus”. This is how the court assessed his articles about the aggression of the Soviet Union against Poland in 1939 and about the heroes of Armia Krajowa in the Hrodna region, as well as his statements in defense of the Polish minority in Belarus. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski commented on March 27 that during his last visit to the United States, he discussed the issue of Poczobut’s release in Washington. “Due to the specifics of the situation, the details of the conversations should remain confidential. If it was up to me, of course, Andrzej Poczobut would already be free. But unfortunately, he is at the mercy of an authoritarian regime, so let’s allow the negotiators to act while maintaining confidentiality,” he said.

The Ministry of Information has updated the Republican List of extremist materials. Among other, the telegram channel of the program “Sasha, what are you talking about?!” was included in it. Relevant decision was made by the Leninski district court of Brest on March 25, 2025. “Sasha, what are you talking about?!” is an original project by Fyodar Paulyuchenka and Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, co-founders of Reform.news.

As of March 27, the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs recognized 269 groups as “extremist”. According to “Viasna” Human Rights Center, at least 258 persons have been convicted of “creating or participating in an extremist group”. At least 22 journalists and 11 bloggers, six lawyers and members of the bar, 24 activists, 10 former security officers, 31 politicians, and 19 cultural figures have been convicted under this charge. 36 persons were convicted of “participating in an extremist group” for supporting Ukraine in the war. 58 persons were convicted in absentia. Five foreigners were tried under this charge in combination with other chargers: Yuri Zyankovich, who holds American citizenship, Alexander Kotovich, a citizen of Ukraine, Rico Krieger, a German citizen, and Andrei Podnebenny and Oleg Sychev, citizens of Russia.

Six Belarusian and international human rights organizations submitted evidence of possible crimes against humanity committed by representatives of the Belarusian authorities to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The communication was submitted by the Center for Global Justice and Human Rights “M.A.R.A.”, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), “Viasna” Human Rights Center, the International Committee for the Investigation of Torture in Belarus, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and Human Constanta. It contained evidence of alleged crimes against humanity committed since May 2020, including evidence of deportation and persecution committed against a part of the Belarusian civilian population, including citizens of Belarus residing abroad. In particular, this communication demonstrated that the Belarusian authorities created an atmosphere of fear, terror and persecution to “cleanse” the population of “disloyal” individuals, forcing up to 6.4% of the Belarusian population to flee the country. Furthermore, the Belarusian authorities continued to persecute Belarusians forced into exile and those residing abroad through systematic judicial harassment, including in absentia trials, as well as intimidation and threats against those in exile and their relatives remaining in Belarus, publicly disseminated hate speech, unjustified searches, the seizure of property, and total deprivation of access to public services, including the inability to obtain identification documents, leading to de facto statelessness. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s legal advisor, Leanid Marozau, emphasized the significance of this step, stating that submitting the report is a crucial move toward justice and holding those responsible accountable and could pave the way for an official investigation by the ICC and the issuance of international arrest warrants against specific representatives of the Lukashenka regime.

The Center for Belarusian Solidarity, which helps Belarusians cope with difficulties in emigration and, in particular, provides free legal advice, educates Belarusian and Ukrainian children and supports Belarusian culture, has run into financial problems, due to which it may be forced to reduce its activities. A collection of donations was open through BYSOL foundation to cover CBS immediate needs. Amount planned for collection is 20,000 Euro.

On March 25, Freedom Day, the anniversary of the proclamation of the Belarusian People’s Republic in 1918, the European Union declared solidarity with the people of Belarus. The European External Action Service stated on the social network X: “On Belarus Freedom Day, we reaffirm the EU’s solidarity with the people of Belarus. We are determined to keep supporting all those who strive for a democratic future for the proud, independent nation of Belarus.”

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola expressed her support for “courageous Belarusians who continue to fight for the democratic future and freedom of their country” in a joint video message from MEPs on Freedom Day. Congratulations were posted on the page of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s social network X page. A congratulatory message has also been posted on Metsola’s page. She emphasized that “the fight for a free and democratic Belarus is alive and strong”. “Today, I’m proud to join Tsikhanouskaya, the democratic opposition and the people of Belarus on Freedom Day, and send EU Parliament’s strong message of support”, she wrote.

March 25, 2025, was officially declared Freedom Day of Belarus in the U.S. capital by the Mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser. A photo of a document, signed by her, was published on her X social network page by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Bowser noted in the document that on Freedom Day, “individual Belarusians and entire communities pay tribute to their cultural heritage and stand up for democracy, justice and the fundamental rights of every human being”.

The situation in Belarus will be discussed in the European Parliament on April 2. The schedule of the meeting of the European Parliament for that day includes the topic “The immediate threat of further repression by the Lukashenka regime in Belarus: threats from the Investigative Committee.”

During the period under review, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who has been in power in Belarus for a total of 31 years, officially assumed office as the country’s president once again. He deliberately held his seventh inauguration on March 25 — the day when his opponents celebrate Freedom Day in memory of the declaration of independence of the Belarusian People’s Republic (BNR) more than a hundred years ago. The inauguration became one of the main topics that Belarusian propagandists focused on last week. In the run-up to this solemn event for the regime’s representatives, state media intensified their praise for the dictator. For example, pro-government political analyst Andrei Lazutkin wrote for Minskaya Prauda on March 24: “… the Belarusian inauguration is extremely concise and highlights the main thing — that the Father is the master of the house. We do not need a show, songs, stars, or Musk, we need stability and an understanding of what tomorrow will bring. In fact, this is what the presidential power has been based on for 30 years.” Echoing him, Yauhen Pustavoy once again repeated that Lukashenka’s rise to power more than 30 years ago ‘saved the country from the abyss’: “The country and society were in decline. Belarusians had lost faith in Soviet bureaucrats, and there was no trust in nationalist clans either. A bold and compassionate fighter against corruption stood out among the then Supreme Council. Aliaksandr Lukashenka was different. He spoke about what concerned both rural school teachers and factory workers in the capital. It was a breath of fresh air in the stagnant atmosphere of party bosses and the stench of rampant nationalists.”

In his inauguration speech on March 25, Lukashenka promised that he would not betray his supporters: “So the main thing to remember is this: you live in your own country, on your own land, and therefore you should never, under any circumstances, be afraid of anyone. You are the masters of your country, you make all the decisions yourselves. You have earned this right — not only our generation but the previous ones as well. And you have earned it at a very high price. Your president has never abandoned you and never will, he will not betray you or run away. You are my whole life, and I will do my utmost to justify the immense trust you have placed in me.” He believes that the elections held in Belarus can allegedly serve as an international standard for other countries: “We have demonstrated electoral sovereignty in action. Over these years, we have managed to establish an election standard that can serve as a global benchmark.” At the moment of his latest “triumph,” the Belarusian dictator did not fail to thank his opponents, claiming that ‘half the world’ allegedly dreams of the kind of dictatorship that exists in Belarus: “Thanks also to those who do not fit into such a political and legal framework but continue to teach us how to live from abroad, working off grants from Western democracies. The new Trump administration’s investigation has exposed egregious cases of USAID and NED funding coups and color revolutions around the world, including in Belarus in 2020. Do you remember that mutiny? Thanks to you, who sold out your homeland for these grants — or rather, in spite of you — we have become stronger. Because we protect the peace that you put at risk. We ensure prosperity, which you threaten by begging your masters for sanctions and bombs. You have taught us to value and defend what we have. People see everything. You have no support and never will. You have no future. You and your handlers have nothing to counter our unity. I will say more: half the world dreams of our dictatorship — a dictatorship of real deeds and the interests of our people.”

After the ceremony, as expected, Lukashenka’s ‘trusted people’ began to express their admiration for his speech. Pro-government expert Aliaksei Dzermant commented: “Honestly, I did not expect to hear what I did from the President today. Not conservatism, but progress. A confident course toward the future. Mastering technology for creation, not destruction. A leap into the future for our society, which he perceives as his own family, his own children. I believe him and try to help in any way I can. He is our nation’s Father.” Propagandist Aliaksandr Shpakouski, in turn, stated: “… The enormous credit of trust and high levels of popular support allow us to say that Aliaksandr Lukashenka, as the first President of Belarus, is essentially the demiurge of our state model. Last year, the country marked the 30^th anniversary of the presidential institution, and now a new countdown has begun. It feels as if the head of state has gained a second wind. He is at the peak of his physical and intellectual form. Moreover, in the modern world, the age of 70 for a politician is not necessarily political maturity — it can be political flourishing.” MP and propagandist Vadzim Hihin emphasized: “Humanity, facing the very real threat of a third world war and the use of nuclear weapons, is sending unambiguous signals to politicians. People across the planet are demanding peace! This is also why our country’s international authority and that of our President, a staunch supporter of peaceful coexistence among states with different political systems, are growing. The entire world has faced pandemics, wars, an unprecedented wave of migration, and ‘color revolutions.’ The head of state has diagnosed the current state of international relations as a systemic geopolitical crisis. Belarusians know this all too well, as we have faced all these challenges — and have prevailed.”

On March 25, State Secretary of the Security Council Aliaksandr Valfovich told Russian information agency TASS that there was ‘nothing extraordinary’ about the ongoing military readiness check in Belarus — ‘everything is planned, everything is under control.’ Meanwhile, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhankou stated that Belarus and Russia consider Poland and Lithuania’s idea of placing anti-personnel mines on their borders ‘groundless and very harmful.’ He reminded that more than 20 years ago, when Poland and the Baltic states joined the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines, their politicians declared their commitment to the highest humanitarian standards and the complete cessation of the use of such weapons.

Pro-government propagandist Yury Uvarau advocated harsher measures against investors and exporters who left the Belarusian and the Russian markets: “… The West does not hesitate to impose restrictions on our businesses without reason. In my opinion, the toughest measures should be taken against companies that directly or indirectly supported the coup attempt in Belarus and financed Banderite criminal groups, including the complete confiscation of all assets. That would be fair. And those who made a mistake, even consciously, should be given a second chance — but under strict conditions.”

Diplomat Yury Ambrazevich, whom Lukashenka appointed as ambassador to the Holy See on March 27, stated that through its embassy in the Vatican, Belarus hopes to strengthen relations with Latin American and African countries and influence Western elites. “Belarus, by changing the form of its presence in the Vatican, believes this will allow us to strengthen our positions in Latin American and African countries, as well as in working with public and state elites in Europe and North America, given that the Catholic religion can influence their approaches.”

Propagandists are also closely monitoring protests in Turkey, comparing them to the events on Kyiv’s Maidan in 2014 and the Belarusian protests of 2020. Aliaksandr Shpakouski urged viewing global events “from the perspective of Belarusian national interests”: “Turkish President Erdogan maintains a constructive relationship with our leader, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, and congratulated the Belarusian President on his election victories in both 2020 and 2025. Meanwhile, Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu met with bandits against whom criminal cases have been initiated in Belarus for crimes against the state.” By “bandits,” he referred to the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and her team.