Belarus

27 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: Members of the AMAP (OMON) special police forces take position during a protest at the Independence Square against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

World

WITH EU NEIGHBOURS

Belarus closes western borders as military tensions rise

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/18/20

Military manoeuvres with NATO troops are being conducted in Lithuania and Ukraine. At the same time, the Belarusian army is training with Russian forces in the west of the country near the EU's…

HANDOUT - 14 September 2020, Russia, Sochi: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who arrived in Russia on a working visit, at the summer residence Bocharov Ruchey. (best quality available) Photo: Kremlin/dpa.

World

Putin backs Lukashenko with a billionaire loan and military support

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/15/20

The Russian president emphasized during his meeting with Lukashenko that the crisis should be resolved without pressure from abroad. He also noted that Russian military forces in Belarus…

FILED - 12 October 2018, Belarus, Mogilev: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends the plenary session of the Fifth Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions. Lukashenko told his countrypeople he would make sure there would be no civil-war-like situation in Belarus as he cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election. Photo: Kremlin/dpa.

World

Belarus' Lukashenko arrives in Russia to meet Putin for crisis talks

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/14/20

At least 7,000 people have been detained at protests since the elections, according to the Belarusian Interior Ministry. The United Nations has received 450 reports of torture and abuse of such…

Thousands of people gather for a protest on Independence Square. The demonstrators are taking to the streets in the Belarusian capital and other cities and continue to press for the resignation of President Lukashenko. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Belarusian capital, Minsk, and other cities on Saturday in a further challenge to the rule of longtime President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

World

Belarus reports 250 detentions as 150,000 protest in Minsk

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/13/20

Mobile internet communications were turned off in Minsk to stop protesters from sharing details about the routes they were taking, and metro stations and underpasses were shut.

30 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: Riot police arrest demonstrators into a prisoner transport vehicle, as thousands of people take part in mass demonstration against President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

World

Dozens of female protesters violently detained in Belarus

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/13/20

Viasna, a human rights organization on the ground in Belarus, said at least 70 people were detained in the capital city on Saturday.

World

BELARUS

Belarusian opposition plans mass protest march in Minsk on Sunday

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/12/20

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, members of the so-called Visegrad Group, will present a proposal to the European Council that visa-free travel be introduced for Belarusian citizens.

World

Tens of thousands of protesters turn out in Belarus despite warnings

The Nomad Today/dpa 9/6/20

Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called on her fellow Belarusians not to be intimidated: "Remember, together we are strong," she said in a video message from Lithuania.

30 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: Hundreds of police officers encircle the Independence Square, ahead of a planned mass demonstration against President Alexander Lukashenko. The Interior Ministry has warned citizens not to take part in the unauthorized rally and has threatened violence. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

World

Huge protest demands resignation of Belarus leader on 66th birthday

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/31/20

The Interior Ministry said more than 140 people had been arrested in Minsk alone by the afternoon. Lukashenko's spokeswoman published a photo showing the head of state defiantly holding a…

World

PROTESTS CONTINUE

Putin reaffirms recognition of Belarus' election results

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/29/20

He also cast doubt on whether all those who doubted the results of the election were being honest.

World

Lukashenko accuses western powers of wanting to annex Belarus

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/27/20

"Have you seen these statements that if Belarus disintegrates, then the Grodno region will go to Poland?," the incumbent president asked.

26 August 2020, Ukraine, Kiev: Members of the Belarusian community in Ukraine and Ukrainian activists burn red and white smoke bombs and wave the flag of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic (the Belarusian opposition flag) during rally in solidarity with the anti-Lukashenko protests in Belarus Photo: Serg Glovny/dpa.

World

Belarusian Nobel laureate rallies protesters as over 50 arrested

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/27/20

The latest demonstrations saw 50 arrests, the highest number on any day this week, as the number of people joining the unauthorized protests continued to rise.

An activist waves flag of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic during a rally in solidarity with the Belarusian opposition. More than a thousand people were detained overnight in Belarus in a third night of protests following the presidential election. Photo: Ukrinform/dpa.

World

POLL

Election results in Belarus not fair, Foreigner.fi readers say

The Nomad Today 8/25/20

Foreigner.fi will ask its readers a different question every Friday on its official Twitter account @foreignerfi

World

BELARUS

As 100,000 march in Minsk, Lukashenko arms himself with a Kalashnikov

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/23/20

The presidential palace has increasingly taken the role of a fortress and was surrounded by armoured cars and security forces to stop protesters from storming the palace.

16 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: People take part in a protest against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Independence Square. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa
16 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: People take part in a protest against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Independence Square. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

Finland

Finland backs EU sanctions against Belarusian electoral fraudsters

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/19/20

The country's elections cannot be considered "free or fair," Sanna Marin said during the meeting with the EU leaders. Belarusian media on Wednesday reported the third confirmed death of a…

17 August 2020, Belarus, Minsk: Two women carry a picture of the oppositional presidential candidate S. Tikhanovskaya, who claims victory in the election on August 9, against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Independence Square. Photo: Ulf Mauder/dpa.

Finland

RUSSIAN WARNINGS

Sanna Marin to attend EU leaders meeting on Belarus

The Nomad Today/dpa 8/18/20

Putin warned Merkel against foreign interference, while Alexander Lukashenko ordered the army on his country's western border to be ready for combat.

World

BELARUS

Lukashenko rejects demand for revote after disputed election

The Nomad Today 8/17/20

Lukashenko has described the protesters as "sheep" being led by foreign influencers. The European Council has scheduled an emergency leaders summit on Wednesday to discuss the crisis.

16 August 2020, Ukraine, Kiev: Protesters march with the historic Belarusian flags outside the Embassy of Belarus during a rally in solidarity with the Belarusian opposition that accuses Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of electoral fraud for receiving over 80 percent of the vote in the presidential election. Photo: Pavlo Gonchar/dpa.

World

Belarus opposition to push for release of detained protesters

The Nomad Today 8/17/20

Criminal charges would be filed Monday over the deaths of two protesters and the violent response of police and the security forces against protesters and prisoners.

13 August 2020, Ukraine, Kyiv: People hold signs and placards as they take part in a demonstration outside the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus against the results of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and to show solidarity with the protests sweeping Belarus in response to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko receiving over 80 percent of the vote in the presidential election. Photo: Ukrinform/dpa.

World

Lukashenko blames foreign countries for Belarus protests

The Nomad Today 8/15/20

He had recently described the demonstrators as unemployed ex-criminals, only stirring up public outrage. EU prepares sanctions against Belarus as protests continue.

13 August 2020, Ukraine, Kyiv: People take part in a demonstration outside the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus against the results of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and to show solidarity with the protests sweeping Belarus in response to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko receiving over 80 percent of the vote in the presidential election. Photo: Ukrinform/dpa

World

Released protesters in Belarus report mistreatment

The Nomad Today 8/14/20

About 1,000 of the 7,000 people arrested during protests were reportedly freed on Friday morning. The 27 EU foreign ministers will deliberate on possible sanctions against Belarus.

World

Belarus protesters out for fourth night despite police violence

The Nomad Today 8/13/20

Lithuania will relax its entry restrictions for Belarusians, as the country is gripped by protests over its disputed presidential elections and violent crackdowns by police.