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  • 'A farce' — Foreign Ministry condemns sham election in Belarus

    'A farce' — Foreign Ministry condemns sham election in Belarus

    Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned the recent presidential election in Belarus, calling the vote “a farce” in a statement issued Jan. 27.

    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko “won” a seventh consecutive term as president on Jan. 26 in a so-called election widely denounced as neither free nor fair by the international community.

    “It is difficult to call such elections fair, transparent and democratic, in particular given the political repression in Belarus, which deprived voters of any alternative choice and turned the elections themselves into a one-man political show,” the ministry’s statement read.

    Elections under the repressive conditions of the Lukashenko regime “cannot be legitimate,” the ministry said.

    “It is a farce.”

    Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally. The Belarusian leader competed for the presidency against regime-approved candidates Sergey Syrankov, who secured 3.21% of the vote, and Oleg Gaidukevich, who received 2%.

    Lukashenko was declared the winner with 86.82% of the vote, while 3.6% of ballots reportedly voted “against all."

    Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, called the vote “a sham” and “an affront to democracy."

    Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the election was nothing more than a “special operation” by the Russia-backed regime.

    Tsikhanouskaya contested the results of the country’s 2020 election, sparking mass protests after Lukashenko declared victory despite evidence of widespread fraud. The government brutally repressed the demonstrations and detained thousands of political prisoners.

    The Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with Belarusian opposition figures and encouraged them to continue to fight for an independent Belarus.

    “We are convinced that a democratic and sovereign Belarus, in which the people, not one person, will determine the future, will be a factor of long-term stability in our region, and not an accomplice in Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the ministry said.

    After Lukashenko’s latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020’s lost revolution
    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner in the country’s so-called presidential elections, in which zero members of the country’s opposition were allowed to take part. According to the country’s authorities, Lukashenko secured 86.82% of the vote and became president for…
    'A farce' — Foreign Ministry condemns sham election in BelarusThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    'A farce' — Foreign Ministry condemns sham election in Belarus

  • After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution

    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution

    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner in the country’s so-called presidential elections, in which zero members of the country’s opposition were allowed to take part.

    According to the country’s authorities, Lukashenko secured 86.82% of the vote and became president for the seventh consecutive time.

    Despite international condemnation and widespread opposition among Belarusians, Lukashenko’s regime has only tightened its control since the last election. Relentless crackdowns on dissent, including mass arrests, imprisonment, and torture, have been ongoing in the country for nearly five years.

    Despite international condemnation and widespread opposition among Belarusians, Lukashenko’s regime has only tightened its control since the last election.

    "Anyone following the situation knows it's a sham election, and for us, Lukashenko has been wholly illegitimate since 2020," Hanna Komar, a Belarusian author who has been living in exile for the past five years, told the Kyiv Independent.

    Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, widely recognized by election observers as the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election, publicly condemned the latest so-called vote.

    "Lukashenko, propped up by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, holds nine million Belarusians hostage, drags us into war, and betrays our sovereignty. We will never accept him. He does not represent Belarus. The regime must end its repressions, release political prisoners, and be held accountable for its crimes," Tsikhanouskaya wrote on Jan. 26.

    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 5, 2023. (Pavel Byrkin / Sputnik / AFP via Getty Images)

    For the more than 500,000 Belarusians who have fled the country since 2020, Lukashenko's latest "victory" serves as a painful reminder of the democratic future they fought for and ultimately failed to secure.

    Yet, even in the face of despair, many try to remain hopeful, using the hard-earned lessons of that tumultuous period to strengthen their exile community and continue working toward a future democratic Belarus that they still dream of having.

    ‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection
    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolutionThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution

    Point of no return

    The 2020 presidential election in Belarus was defined by Tsikhanouskaya's bold challenge to Alexander Lukashenko's decades-long rule. By contrast, the latest so-called election lacked any real opposition, featuring three candidates from pro-government parties and one candidate seen as a figurehead.

    In the months leading up to Jan. 26, Lukashenko staged an orchestrated spectacle by pardoning and releasing dozens of political prisoners. Lukashenko framed the move as an act of goodwill toward those who had "gone astray."

    However, these individuals had been imprisoned solely for exercising their democratic rights and taking part in the protests against Lukashenko's regime that began in May 2020.

    As of December 2024, at least 1,265 political prisoners are known to be held in Belarusian prisons, according to the Belarusian human rights organization Viasna. In December alone, up to 150 politically motivated sentences were handed down, with Belarusians consistently denied the right to a fair trial.

    "I think Lukashenko understands that Russia is waiting for the right moment to replace him. He's deeply afraid of this and is now trying to play some kind of strange game with the West. He released some political prisoners to garner a 'favorable' image, but at the same time, he hasn't stopped the repressions. It's endless," Kseniya Halubovich, an exiled film director and journalist, told the Kyiv Independent.

    "I think Lukashenko understands that Russia is waiting for the right moment to replace him."

    Komar was among those detained during the 2020 protests, having attended a rally organized in solidarity with opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava, who had been arrested just days prior.

    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    An aerial view of protesters during a demonstration in Minsk, Belarus, on Aug. 16, 2020. Protests erupted following President Lukashenko's claimed victory in the Aug. 9 election, seen as fraudulent. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    Law enforcement officers detain a man during a rally in Minsk, Belarus, on Oct. 11, 2020, protesting presidential election results. Riot police detained thousands. (STRINGER / AFP via Getty Images)

    The rally escalated when the women protesters tried to prevent the police from arresting the men. Komar spent nine days in jail and, by her own account, considers herself lucky to have been released.

    "It was still a relatively mild phase of the political crackdowns back then. I am one of over 50,000 Belarusians who have endured detentions and imprisonment," Komar said.

    "Since then, repression (against pro-democracy Belarusians) has only intensified. Every day, hundreds of people lose their jobs, face home searches, are summoned for interrogations, or are sentenced to days, weeks, months, and even years in prison. The punishment machine has not ceased for a single day since the summer of 2020."

    Opposition leader Kalesnikava has been behind bars for over four years, as are those who attempted to challenge Lukahsenko on the ballot in 2020, including Viktar Babaryka and Siarhei Tsikhanouski.

    “Prison is for people who have opened their mouths too wide and who have broken the law. Don't you have prisons in Britain and America?” Lukashenko countered when asked about jailed opposition figures in a recent interview with the BBC.

    Reflecting on the days immediately following the 2020 election, Halubovich recalls the pervasive sense of fear that hung in the air. On the night following the election, as she and others waited outside her school for election results, some panicked and fled at the sight of the police.

    An internet shutdown made it difficult to communicate properly, get news, or coordinate — not to mention get news of what was happening to the outside world.

    "​​The 'point of no return' for me came the night when the police released some of those who had been arrested and tortured in the first days," Halubovich said.

    "I spent the entire night outside Akrestina prison — the most terrifying place in Belarus — where people were released by morning, horribly beaten. Some of them were too afraid to even sit in an ambulance, it was like they were half-mad after being tortured."

    After several weeks, the protests began to lose their momentum. From every march she attended beginning in September 2020, Komar recalled beginning to sense a lack of clear strategy among the movement and felt that it was often unclear what the right course of action should be.

    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    Belarus special police troops block a street as opposition supporters rally to protest against disputed presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, on Aug. 30, 2020. (Tut.by / AFP via Getty Images)
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (C) holds a photo of her jailed husband Sergei Tsikhanouski while other demonstrators hold photos of Belarusian opposition figures Maria Kalesnikava (L) and Viktar Babaryka (R) as they protest in front of the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 8, 2024. (Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

    "Still, I kept joining the marches and protests until early 2021. It was simply the need to keep going — because to stop would have meant letting down all the people still behind bars in Belarus," Komar said.

    "I remember one of the final neighborhood marches, feeling exhausted and desperate, but thinking of Mikita Zalatarou, the 17-year-old political prisoner with epilepsy who was tortured in prison. The drive to do something to free him became my only fuel."

    The regime's relentless brutality against those who opposed Lukashenko highlights the immense challenges the movement faced from the onset.

    "Unfortunately, we weren't ready to seize the opportunities that briefly arose during the moment of disarray among (those in power)," Alina Rudina, a Belarusian journalist now living in Ukraine, told the Kyiv Independent.

    "Never again can we underestimate the enemy's cruelty and what they are willing to do to maintain their power."

    Moving away from Russia

    Over 30 years into his reign, Lukashenko seems poised to remain in power for the foreseeable future, but many of the Belarusians who took part in the 2020 protests hesitate to look back on that period as a total defeat.

    For pro-democracy Belarusians, the events of 2020 were largely a moment of national awakening — one that reignited a sense of independence, rekindled pride in their language and history, and fortified their resolve to break free from Russia's influence over their country.

    Under Lukashenko's rule over the past three decades, Russia's cultural and political reach remained entrenched in Belarusian society. However, the ongoing crisis has provided Belarusians in exile with an opportunity to assert the distinctiveness of their language and culture, challenging years of Russification and reaffirming their national identity.

    "My sense of identity is more Belarusian now than it was before 2020. I make a conscious effort to avoid reading or watching anything Russian, and I'm grateful that my mind feels so clear and free from that imperialistic influence," Halubovich said.

    For those Belarusians who have sought refuge in wartime Ukraine, this choice of language holds even greater significance.

    Rudina, who has lived in Ukraine for nearly five years, finds that her new home has helped to foster an environment that has allowed her to rediscover the Belarusian language, which she now uses daily in both her personal and professional life.

    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution
    A member of the Belarusian diaspora carries a placard depicting Belarus' dictator Alexander Lukashenko during a rally in Warsaw, Poland, on Jan. 26, 2025. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called the presidential election in Belarus a "farce." (Sergei Gapon / AFP via Getty Images)

    She also devotes her time in exile to learning how independent Ukrainian media is developing to better understand what pro-democratic Belarusians can do to help counter Russian propaganda.

    "After being in Ukraine and living through the full-scale invasion, I am convinced that Belarusians need a certain degree of Russophobia and radical rejection of anything Russian," Rudina told the Kyiv Independent.

    "Only this can become a vaccine for the future, preventing the country's absorption and the loss of Belarusian identity."

    At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians in exile must grapple with the uncertainty of life abroad and thoughts of when they will ever be able to return home.

    "The identities I once took pride in, like being a writer or an activist, now feel distant," Komar said.

    "More and more, I find myself thinking that what truly matters is simply being a decent human."

    Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus
    In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolutionThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    After Lukashenko's latest sham election win, exiled Belarusians reflect on lessons learned from 2020's lost revolution

    Note from the author:


    Hi, this is Kate Tsurkan. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.

    The Belarusian people's ongoing struggle for a better future is both courageous and inspiring. Despite bravely facing Lukashenko's harsh authoritarian regime, their efforts receive far too little attention. They deserve greater recognition and our unwavering support.

    If you found this story important please consider supporting our reporting.

  • EU suspends visa privileges for Georgian officials over democratic backsliding

    EU suspends visa privileges for Georgian officials over democratic backsliding

    The European Union suspended parts of its visa facilitation agreement with Georgia on Jan. 27, citing concerns over the country’s democratic backsliding.

    “Fundamental rights and democratic values are core principles of EU integration. Officials that represent a country which trample down these values should not benefit from easier access to the EU,” said Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s interior minister.

    The decision follows mass protests in Tbilisi over parliamentary elections that the opposition belives were nor free nor fair and a political crisis sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia’s EU integration could be delayed until 2028.

    The suspension applies to members of Georgian official delegations, government and parliamentary officials, Constitutional and Supreme Court judges, and holders of diplomatic passports.

    Ordinary Georgian citizens will retain visa-free travel to the EU for short-term trips.

    The ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has drawn criticism for steering Georgia closer to Russia while hindering its EU accession.

    A controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier in 2024 led the EU to freeze Georgia’s membership process effectively, while a package of anti-LGBTQ laws further exacerbated the crisis.

    EU to continue talks with Ukraine on gas supplies to Europe, including Hungary, Slovakia, Reuters reports
    “The (European) Commission is ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine,” the statement said.
    EU suspends visa privileges for Georgian officials over democratic backslidingThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
    EU suspends visa privileges for Georgian officials over democratic backsliding

  • Kremlin backs Lukashenko's 'victory' in Belarus election, dismisses Western criticism

    Kremlin backs Lukashenko's 'victory' in Belarus election, dismisses Western criticism

    The Kremlin on Jan. 27 welcomed Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s claimed election victory, dismissing Western criticism of the vote as “expected."

    Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally, was declared the winner with 86.82% of the vote.

    “The elections in Belarus were transparent and absolutely legitimate. Moscow does not take into account the expected criticism of the elections in Belarus in the West,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media.

    Lukashenko competed for the presidency against regime-approved candidates Sergey Syrankov, who secured 3.21% of the vote, and Oleg Gaidukevich, who received 2%, while 3.6% of ballots reportedly voted “against all."

    EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, criticized Lukashenko ahead of the election, denouncing it as a sham and an affront to democracy.

    “Lukashenko has clung to power for 30 years. This is a blatant affront to democracy. Lukashenko doesn’t have any legitimacy,” she said.

    Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who contested the 2020 election, condemned the results, calling the vote a “special operation” to illegally maintain power.

    The 2020 election, marked by mass protests and a violent crackdown, became pivotal in Belarus' history. Lukashenko claimed victory despite widespread evidence of fraud, while Tsikhanouskaya asserted she won 60% of the vote.

    Since then, over 60,000 Belarusians have been detained for political reasons, according to the human rights group Viasna.

    Belarus releases American citizen amid controversial election
    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio identified the U.S. citizen as Anastassia Nuhfer, who was detained in early December 2024.
    Kremlin backs Lukashenko's 'victory' in Belarus election, dismisses Western criticismThe Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova
    Kremlin backs Lukashenko's 'victory' in Belarus election, dismisses Western criticism

  • Lukashenko declares himself 'winner' of Belarus’s presidential vote blasted as sham

    Lukashenko declares himself 'winner' of Belarus’s presidential vote blasted as sham

    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko declared himself president for his seventh consecutive term in an election on Jan. 26 internationally deemed as neither free nor fair.

    The Belarusian Election Commission claimed that Lukashenko “won” 86.82% of the vote, followed by regime-approved and little-known candidates like Sergey Syrankov with 3.21% or Oleg Gaidukevich with 2.02%. Some 3.6% of the ballots voted “against all."

    “You can congratulate the Republic of Belarus, we have elected a president,” said Igor Karpenko, the head of the electoral commission, early on Jan. 27. The commission claimed a 85.7% turnout.

    Lukashenko, the country’s leader since 1994 and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally, has long been accused of staging fraudulent elections in Belarus.

    In 2020, during the last presidential election, Lukashenko maintained power despite the country’s most prominent opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, receiving popular support. The now-exiled opposition leader said she won with 60% of the vote.

    Following the fabricated results in 2020, mass protest erupted in Minsk but were ultimately quelled with the support of Russia. According to the Belarusian human rights group Viasna, over 60,000 citizens have been detained for political reasons since the 2020 election.

    Tsikhanouskaya responded to the election results on Jan. 26 by condemning the legitimacy of the vote and rejecting Lukashenko as president.

    “These are not elections but a ‘special operation’ to illegally cling to power. Lukashenko, propped up by Putin, holds 9 million Belarusians hostage, drags us into war, and betrays our sovereignty,” she wrote on X.

    “He does not represent Belarus. The regime must end its repressions, release political prisoners, and be held accountable for its crimes. Belarusians will prevail!"

    Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, echoed similar sentiments on X on Jan. 25.

    “Lukashenko has clung to power for 30 years. Tomorrow, he’ll reappoint himself in yet another sham election. This is a blatant affront to democracy. Lukashenko doesn’t have any legitimacy,” she said.

    Notably, Lukashenko declined to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country’s presidential election.

    On Nov. 22, state-run news outlet Belta reported that Lukashenko may completely shut down the internet during the 2025 presidential elections if protests similar to those in 2020 arise.

    “If this (the protests) happens again, we will shut the internet down completely,” Lukashenko said, admitting that internet shutdowns during the 2020 protests were carried out with his approval.

    While Belarus has not directly participated in the war against Ukraine, it has allowed the Kremlin to use its territory as a staging ground for its operations. The country is also reportedly hosting Russian tactical nuclear arms on its territory.

    Photos of jailed Belarusian opposition leader appear after almost 2 years of no news
    Photos and a video of Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on Jan. 8 after the jailed Belarusian opposition leader was held incommunicado since February 2023.
    Lukashenko declares himself 'winner' of Belarus’s presidential vote blasted as shamThe Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
    Lukashenko declares himself 'winner' of Belarus’s presidential vote blasted as sham

  • Belarus releases American citizen amid controversial election

    Belarus releases American citizen amid controversial election

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Jan. 26 that Belarus had “unilaterally” released an American woman from detention, as Alexander Lukashenko is set to win a seventh term in office.

    Rubio identified the U.S. citizen as Anastassia Nuhfer, who was detained during former President Joe Biden’s tenure. He did not provide details on the timing or reasons for her arrest.

    Rubio’s statement followed a series of prisoner releases by Lukashenko, often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator.”

    Belarus' oldest human rights group, Viasna, reports that over 1,250 individuals remain in detention for opposing the government. Lukashenko’s opponents, many imprisoned or exiled due to his ongoing crackdown on dissent, have condemned Sunday’s election as fraudulent. The 2020 election, which sparked months of mass protests, has been widely criticized for its lack of legitimacy.

    The U.S. State Department later confirmed that Nuhfer had been detained in early December 2024, according to the Associated Press. Earlier this month, a consular officer from Washington gained rare access to her in detention.

    A former high-ranking Belarusian diplomat told the Associated Press that Nuhfer’s arrest was tied to the 2020 protests, though they did not provide further details. The diplomat, speaking anonymously due to security concerns, added that Lukashenko offered to release Nuhfer “as a gesture of goodwill” but refused to free any Belarusian opposition or rights activists.

    Lukashenko’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine has strained Belarus’ relations with both the U.S. and the EU, ending his previous attempts to leverage Western support for more subsidies from Moscow.

    It remains unclear what, if any, concessions Belarus may have sought in exchange for releasing Nuhfer.

    Belarus Weekly: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills
    OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus. Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia. Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison. Subscribe to the NewsletterBelarus Weekly Join us…
    Belarus releases American citizen amid controversial electionThe Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma
    Belarus releases American citizen amid controversial election

  • Lukashenko poised to secure 7th term in Belarus 'sham' election

    Lukashenko poised to secure 7th term in Belarus 'sham' election

    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko appeared set to win a seventh term in office on Jan. 26 in an election widely dismissed by the West and opposition groups as a sham.

    Lukashenko has reportedly secured 86.82% of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the country’s Central Election Commission on Monday.

    The 70-year-old leader, who has ruled since 1994, faced no real competition, as key opposition figures are either imprisoned or living in exile following years of political repression.

    Lukashenko’s 2020 re-election, widely criticized as fraudulent, sparked unprecedented protests in Belarus, leading to over 65,000 arrests and widespread reports of police brutality. Western nations responded with sanctions and condemnation.

    The president, who has relied heavily on Russian subsidies and backing to maintain his grip on power, campaigned this time on a platform of “peace and security.” Lukashenko justified his close alliance with Moscow, which included allowing Russia to use Belarusian territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and hosting Russian tactical nuclear weapons. “It’s better to have a dictatorship like in Belarus than a democracy like Ukraine,” Lukashenko said during his campaign.

    Observers suggest the election date was strategically moved to January, avoiding the warmer months when protests might have been more likely. Economic challenges and the ongoing war in Ukraine have heightened tensions in Belarus, but the government ensured no significant opposition emerged in the lead-up to the vote.

    On election day, Lukashenko engaged in a four-hour press conference where he dismissed criticism about the fairness of the election. Asked about the absence of opposition figures, he replied: “Some chose prison, some chose ‘exile,’ as you say. We didn’t kick anyone out of the country.” He also denied allegations of suppressing dissent, claiming opponents had made their own decisions regarding their fate.

    Belarus Weekly: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills
    OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus. Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia. Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison. Subscribe to the NewsletterBelarus Weekly Join us…
    Lukashenko poised to secure 7th term in Belarus 'sham' electionThe Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma
    Lukashenko poised to secure 7th term in Belarus 'sham' election

  • Zelensky backs Slovak protests as Fico criticizes opposition, organizers

    Zelensky backs Slovak protests as Fico criticizes opposition, organizers

    “Bratislava is not Moscow, Slovakia is Europe,” President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X on Jan. 25, voicing support for protests against Slovakia’s government.

    The demonstrations, held under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe,” swept across 30 cities on Jan. 24. Around 100,000 people nationwide chanted slogans like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe,” voicing opposition to Prime Minister Robert Fico’s policies and pro-Russian stance, Slovak media Aktuality reported.

    The protests were also sparked by Fico’s visit to Moscow in late December, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin—a rare trip to the Kremlin by a European Union leader since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    Fico reportedly criticized Zelensky for supporting protests against Slovakia’s government. According to Aktuality, Fico dismissed Zelensky’s comment on X as “laughable” and called it “an inappropriate interference in the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic.” He added that he currently has no plans to meet with Zelensky.

    Commenting on the protests, Fico accused the organizers of misleading participants and claimed that a third of those attending the demonstrations were allegedly Ukrainians.

    The Kyiv Independent can’t immediately verify this information.

    Organized by the “Peace to Ukraine” initiative and opposition parties, the protests drew significant crowds on Jan. 24, including an estimated 60,000 participants in Bratislava’s Freedom Square.

    Fico, who has been critical of Western support for Ukraine, accused opposition leader Michal Simecka on Jan. 18 of plotting to overthrow the government. Fico based his accusations on a confidential report from the country’s intelligence service, which he presented in parliament last week.

    In a Facebook address, Fico claimed that Simecka was “kissing Zelensky’s ring” and pledging support for Ukraine’s NATO membership.

    Simecka, leader of the pro-Western Progressive Slovakia party, recently led a delegation of opposition lawmakers to Kyiv on Jan. 17 to reestablish Slovakia’s support for Ukraine.

    Investigation: How Russia profits from arms exports to Saudi Arabia despite sanctions — leaked emails
    Few agreements are shrouded in more secrecy than inter-government arms deals — especially when one of the parties is a global pariah leading a bloody war. But a recent massive leak of emails and documents has given us an unprecedented glimpse into a particularly secretive transaction. The leak rev…
    Zelensky backs Slovak protests as Fico criticizes opposition, organizersThe Kyiv IndependentAlisa Yurchenko
    Zelensky backs Slovak protests as Fico criticizes opposition, organizers

  • Move over Elon; Ukrainian fungus can help us get to Mars.

    Editor’s note: We ask questions others don’t, and get answers others can’t.

    Support our human interest style of journalism? Convinced, as we are, that the stories of free people fighting back against authoritarianism is worth the risk we take with our lives? Upgrade now.

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    A Photo on display at the Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum in Kyiv. (Photo by Francois Lochon/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

    Space is deadly silent, just like the Chornobyl exclusion zone.

    There is something spooky about the emptiness of both: these great expanses where no human life can exist, the desolation of the void.

    "It feels like a cemetery. This area could have had a future, but it was lost because of the accident," says Olena Pareniuk, a Ukrainian radiobiologist.

    Despite the nuclear disaster, Olena is among many that believe Chornobyl has a future far beyond our planet. If one day humans can conquer the exclusion zone, we can conquer even greater frontiers, including outer space.

    In 1991, five years after the accident at the nuclear power plant that caused a massive release of radiation, remote-controlled robots discovered black fungus on the walls of the destroyed reactor.

    Scientists were baffled. Not only did the microorganisms survive in what seemed to be an uninhabitable environment, but they also began to ‘grow’ toward the radiation source, which would later inspire applications beyond Earth.

    This is a plate culture of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).

    Ukraine has cultivated unique microbial habitats that exist nowhere else in the world, paving the way for advances in space exploration and the development of new technologies. Using microorganisms, such as radiotrophic fungi from the Chornobyl zone, Ukraine is contributing to the exploration of space – and could even help humanity travel to Mars.

    Since the first sighting of black fungi in the reactor, Ukrainian scientists have regularly visited the plant to study these organisms' ability to thrive under extreme radiation. Eventually, a team led by Ukrainian scientist Nelli Zhdanova identified more than 200 species of fungi at the site. Many of them were rich in melanin—a pigment also found in humans that gives color to skin, eyes, and hair, while also protecting the body from ultraviolet radiation.

    It was then proposed that these fungi could grow due to the interaction between melanin and radiation.

    In 2007, this theory was further confirmed when an American research team obtained some of their own mushroom samples from Chornobyl. They found that three species of fungi with the pigment melanin — Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Wangiella dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans — grew faster and accumulated nutrients (acetate) in an environment with extremely high radiation levels. In this case, they were growing in locations where the radiation was 500 times higher than normal.

    This process was similar to photosynthesis in plants. Only this was radiosynthesis, in which the fungi converted dangerous radiation into chemical energy to help them grow.

    "No normal biological process is designed to handle such high doses of radiation. But our planet is remarkable in how life adapts to everything," Olena Pareniuk explained to The Counteroffensive.

    Ukrainian radiobiologist Olena Pareniuk, 2022. This photo was taken from her social media.

    From an early age, Olena Pareniuk's life has been intertwined with Chornobyl. She was born in Zhytomyr, not far from the exclusion zone, and her family members worked in areas of contamination after the explosion.

    Due to her family’s background, in the eighth grade Olena became interested in radiobiology, the study of the effects of radiation on living organisms. She hasn’t looked back since.

    Since 2008, Olena Pareniuk has been studying microorganisms in the Chornobyl zone, specifically bacteria. She later became the first to publish a study on the diversity of bacteria inside a destroyed nuclear reactor. She was also among the Ukrainian scientists who helped address the Fukushima catastrophe.

    Her meeting with one of the Japanese professors was a turning point. He invited Olena to a private space conference, where the scientist was inspired by the idea of turning Chornobyl into a space research laboratory and offering scientists from around the world access to it. In particular, she is convinced that Chornobyl can contribute to the exploration of Mars.

    "I listened to what kind of radiation they were studying, what kinds of energies they were dealing with, and what difficulties they were facing... And I thought, 'Oh my God, we have their ‘space’ for free,'" Olena noted.

    The question of colonizing Mars has been debated for decades. Elon Musk, who aims to be a pioneer with his SpaceX Red Planet project, makes quite optimistic predictions. He plans to land on Mars within four years, and people will start living there in about twenty years. On the other hand, NASA, which is working with SpaceX, believes that any idea of going to a neighboring planet by 2040 would be "audacious."

    That’s because humans face many challenges before colonizing Mars.

    One of them is how to deal with cosmic radiation.

    In some ways, Earth is lucky. Thanks to its strong magnetosphere, our planet is protected from dangerous radiation, particularly radiation from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays.

    SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 18, 2023. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

    This is not the case on Mars, which has no protective magnetic field. As a result, everything—spacecraft, rovers, and humans themselves — will be exposed to much higher levels of radiation. During a single trip to a neighboring planet and back, humans risk receiving 60 percent of the maximum amount of radiation deemed safe for a lifetime. Such high levels of radiation could render mission participants mentally and physically incapacitated.

    However, a discovery made at Chornobyl — radiotrophic fungi — may help solve the problem. One such species is Cladosporium sphaerospermum. In the winter of 2018-2019, samples of this fungus were delivered to the International Space Station.

    The idea was to test the fungus's potential as an inexpensive and lightweight material for radiation shielding. It was a way of killing two birds with one stone — addressing both the safety and cost issues facing the Mars mission.

    Radiation exposure aboard the space station is low compared to other parts of space, but it is still many times higher than on Earth’s surface. Under these conditions, fungal spores were tested on the space station for about a month. The study showed that fungi are able to adapt to microgravity and grow under the influence of cosmic radiation. A layer just over 20 centimeters thick of such fungi would be enough to protect space travelers.

    Cladosporium sphaerospermum, a fungus that can be used for radiation shielding. Source: www.biorxiv.org

    In addition, Chornobyl fungus is self-replicating and self-healing. This means that astronauts may be able to grow new radiation shielding during deep space missions. Only a small amount is needed, which can then grow vigorously. This eliminates the dependence on interplanetary supplies, which are complex and expensive. And even if the shield is damaged, it will repair itself in a few days thanks to these properties.

    "You can use fungus or mold as a shield on living modules. You create a gap between the inside and outside the module, fill it with some nutrients, and then radiotrophic microorganisms can reduce the exposure dose [a measure of the radiation level in the environment],” notes Olena Pareniuk.

    However, according to preliminary estimates, many microorganisms would need to be grown. To live on Mars in a radiation environment similar to Earth's, habitats should be covered with a layer of radio-synthesizing fungi biomass that is more than two meters thick.

    But, according to Olena, the potential of Chornobyl is huge. It’s not just about using fungi that absorb radiation. Chornobyl can become a hub for testing materials and conducting other biological research — an additional link before sending something into space.

    For example, you can grow cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, which could be used as food when people begin colonizing Mars. At Chornobyl, people would be able to study whether they could survive high doses of radiation and whether they mutate.

    Or we can research the effects of radiation on humans. According to Olena, no one has definitively studied whether the degradation of brain cells will begin while astronauts travel to Mars for months.

    The new sarcophagus of reactor number 4 is seen from Pripyat.(Photo by Raul Moreno/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

    Of course, the conditions in space are different from those in the sarcophagus of the Chornobyl reactor. But according to Olena, if the ideas don’t work on Earth, they won’t work in space.

    These ideas are now waiting for a better time: the era of post-war rebuilding. Chornobyl is currently a highly militarized area, so its access is restricted.

    During the full-scale invasion, it was occupied by Russia. Its troops stole all the equipment they could find. Olena recalls that a local employee managed to enter the lab where she works, and put up "Radioactive" signs. This is the only thing that saved at least something from the Russians.

    So, Olena’s Сhornobyl space project, which has not yet started, is on hold. The war has also made its own adjustments to Olena's scientific life. She now focuses on advocacy work. The war has brought new challenges — nuclear security in the face of Russian terror.

    But she believes that one day, Ukraine will return to her concept, and help the whole world explore into the unknown.

    "I have always been annoyed by statements that we are unhappy. No doubt, [Chornobyl] is a tragedy. But we already have it, and we must find a way to benefit from it," Olena says.

    NEWS OF THE DAY:

    Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.

    U.S. TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS AID TO UKRAINE: The new US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has issued an order that immediately suspends funding for most foreign aid programs over the next 90 days, and appears to apply to Ukraine, Politico reported. The only exceptions are military funding for Israel and Egypt.

    An unnamed USAID official told Reuters that staff responsible for projects in Ukraine have been ordered to stop all work. Support for schools and health assistance, such as emergency maternity care and child vaccinations, are among the frozen projects in Ukraine, the official said.

    However, according to Zelenskyy, military aid will continue to be delivered to Ukraine.

    U.S. BANS REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is terminating several programs that allowed refugees to resettle in the country temporarily. This includes the Unite for Ukraine initiative, which permitted Ukrainians to enter the U.S. if they had financial sponsors. The program was launched under President Biden’s administration. As of September 2023, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have been able to come to the United States under this program.

    UKRAINIAN INTEL ATTACKS RUSSIAN COMMS: HUR allegedly carried out a massive cyberattack on one of Russia's largest mobile and internet operators, Ukrainian media reported. Specifically, the DDoS attack affected the following companies: ‘MegaFon,’ ‘Yota,’ and ‘NetByNet.’

    On the morning of January 24, residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and many central regions of the Russian Federation began to complain about poor internet connectivity and communication issues. Additionally, Russians lost access to services such as Steam, Twitch, and Discord. According to Ukrainian intelligence, these platforms are actively used by Russian special services.

    SLOVAKIA PROTESTS PRO-RUSSIAN PM: Mass protests against pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico have erupted in Slovakia under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe.” The protesters are demanding his resignation and a shift in the country’s policy of rapprochement with Moscow. Over 100,000 people have taken to the streets in 30 cities across Slovakia. Slovaks also held rallies in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.

    Cat of Conflict

    Today's Cat of Conflict is a gray kitten who pretended to be sad and stole a piece of Mariana's grilled meat.

    Stay safe out there.

    Best,

    Mariana

  • Foreign Ministry rejects Slovak PM's unfounded Ukrainian cyberattack claim

    Foreign Ministry rejects Slovak PM's unfounded Ukrainian cyberattack claim

    The Foreign Ministry denied Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s claim that Ukraine is connected to a cyberattack on Slovakia’s national insurance company, according to a statement on the Ministry’s website on Jan. 24.

    “We categorically reject the hints of Ukraine’s involvement in the cyberattack against a health insurance company in Slovakia,” the statement said.

    The Ministry also called on Fico to stop portraying Ukraine as an enemy.

    “We once again call on the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, to stop looking for imaginary enemies in Ukraine, which is friendly to Slovakia and the Slovak people.”

    Fico made the allegation during an urgent press conference, offering no evidence to support his claim.

    Meanwhile, widespread protests against Fico’s government are underway, and the opposition is pushing for a vote of no confidence.

    Protesters, which erupted in more than 20 cities, chanted slogans like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe,” expressing discontent with the prime minister’s policies and pro-Russian rhetoric.

    The demonstrations drew significant crowds, with organizers claiming 60,000 participants in Bratislava’s Freedom Square.

    NATO chief urges US to keep arming Ukraine, pledges European funding
    “If this new Trump administration is willing to keep on supplying Ukraine, the bill will be paid by the Europeans,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
    Foreign Ministry rejects Slovak PM's unfounded Ukrainian cyberattack claimThe Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
    Foreign Ministry rejects Slovak PM's unfounded Ukrainian cyberattack claim

  • 'Enough of Fico' — Slovaks flood the streets in nationwide anti-government protests

    'Enough of Fico' — Slovaks flood the streets in nationwide anti-government protests

    Protests erupted in more than 20 Slovak cities on Jan. 24 under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe,” targeting the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovak media Aktuality reported.

    Protesters chanted slogans like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe,” expressing discontent with the prime minister’s policies and pro-Russian rhetoric.

    Organized by the “Peace to Ukraine” initiative and opposition parties, the demonstrations drew significant crowds, with organizers claiming 60,000 participants in Bratislava’s Freedom Square.

    The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these numbers.

    Fico, who has been critical of Western support for Ukraine, accused opposition leader Michal Simecka on Jan. 18 of plotting to overthrow the government.

    In a Facebook address, Fico claimed that Simecka was “kissing Zelensky’s ring” and pledging support for Ukraine’s NATO membership.

    Simecka, leader of the pro-Western Progressive Slovakia party, recently led a delegation of opposition lawmakers to Kyiv on Jan. 17 to reestablish Slovakia’s support for Ukraine.

    Fico likened the opposition’s actions to Ukraine’s EuroMaidan Revolution, alleging they were preparing to stage a coup in Bratislava.

    Fico’s government has faced criticism for its perceived alignment with Russian interests, contrasting with the pro-Western orientation of opposition leaders like Simecka.

    What leverage does Trump have over Putin in peace negotiations? Quite a lot, experts say
    Only days after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he dialed up the heat on Russia with a threat of sanctions, tariffs, and negotiating “the hard way” if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to come to the table for a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump has
    'Enough of Fico' — Slovaks flood the streets in nationwide anti-government protestsThe Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta
    'Enough of Fico' — Slovaks flood the streets in nationwide anti-government protests

  • Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential election

    Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential election

    Early voting began on Jan. 21 in the Belarusian presidential election scheduled for Jan. 26, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

    The previous election, held in August 2020, was accompanied by large-scale voting fraud and the largest protests in Belarusian history. Most Western governments refused to recognize the 2020 election results and do not consider Alexander Lukashenko the country’s legitimate leader.

    Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus since 1994, announced last year that he intended to run again in the Jan. 26 presidential election.

    Meanwhile, human rights activists call the early election procedure one of the mechanisms of vote rigging, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

    Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential election
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    Up to 40% of voters usually take part in early voting, and the executive branch determines the number of people who are supposed to participate. Early voting plans are distributed among regions and enterprises, effectively forcing citizens to vote during this period, according to the media outlet.

    Elections in Belarus "no longer fulfill their functions but are used by the authoritarian government to show a positive picture of general support and thus legalize the authoritarian government," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported, citing human rights activists.

    Lukashenko claimed victory in the 2020 presidential election, which was widely denounced as rigged in his favor. It was followed by mass protests across the country, which were brutally suppressed by the authorities. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who leads Belarusian democratic forces in exile, said she had won 60% of the vote.

    The Belarusian dictator is also a close ally of Russia and has backed Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing Belarusian territory as a staging area for Russian invasion troops in 2022. Russia has also been using Belarus to launch missiles against Ukraine.

    ‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection
    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…
    Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential electionThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    Early voting begins in Belarusian presidential election

  • The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics &amp; Markets

    The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets

    Editor’s note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Jan. 20-Jan. 26. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.

    The global spotlight will be fixed firmly on Washington D.C. next week as Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Jan. 20. This is perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, with allies and adversaries bracing for potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy and its impact on global power dynamics.

    On the same day, the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will start in Davos, Switzerland, centered around the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” The forum will run from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24 and focus on adapting economies to anticipated geopolitical shifts and technological advances, including artificial intelligence.

    Additionally, European MEPs will gear up for the Jan. 20-23 plenary session at the European Parliament to address the ongoing repression in Belarus and vote on a resolution condemning Russia’s disinformation and historical distortions used to justify its war against Ukraine.

    On Jan. 22, the Polish PM, Donald Tusk, will present the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to the plenary of the European Parliament. The address is expected to focus on European security, emphasizing Polish strategic objectives during its tenure (Ukraine will be looking for indications of Poland’s willingness to help fast-track its negotiation clusters and speeding up EU accession).

    On Jan. 22, Ukraine marks Unity Day, commemorating the 1919 unification treaty between the West Ukrainian People’s Republic and Ukrainian People’s Republic (the union lasted until 1921). This will be followed by a series of historical dates, culminating with the 3rd anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 and the war’s entry into its 2nd decade on Feb. 27.

    The week will then be capped off by the Presidential “election” in Belarus on Jan. 26 with Alexander Lukashenko set for another five-year term. Due to the severe political repression in the country, major protests are unlikely.

    If you have an upcoming event that you would like featured in our newsletter, please get in touch via [email protected].

    Other Events and Milestones:

    • Jan. 21, 17:00-18:00 (EET): An in-person Q&A Session “How Tech Companies Become Global Leaders” with Hanna Shuvalova, Principal at Horizon Capital, will be run by Diia.City. Register here.
    • Jan. 24, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Meeting “Key WEF Takeaways for Businesses.” Hosted by the European Business Association and Global Business for Ukraine, focusing on insights from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Register here.
    • Jan. 25, 10:30 (EET): Conference “U-Nation Startup & Innovation” in Odesa. The fifth annual event at Bristol Hotel, Italiiska Street 15, showcasing startups and innovations. Register here.

    What’s the Buzz in Davos:

    • Jan. 21, 16:30-17:30 (EET): Panel “In It to Win It: How Ukrainian DefenceTech is Transforming the War, Ukraine, and the World.” Hosted by Ukraine House Davos, exploring the innovations and resilience of Ukrainian DefenseTech.
    • Jan. 21, 19:30-20:30 (EET): Panel “INVICTUS. Unleashing War-Wounded’s Superpowers.” Hosted by Ukraine House Davos, focusing on empowering war-wounded individuals.
    • Jan. 22, 10:00–11:00 (EET): Gathering “Shaping the Future of GovTech: Launch of the Global GovTech Board and the Power of Global Collaboration." will be held in Ukraine House Davos, Switzerland. Organized by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
    • Jan. 22, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Panel Discussion “Investing in Ukraine’s Economic Resilience Today and Creating Foundations for Growth, Recovery and Reconstruction.” Focusing on Ukraine’s recovery and future development.
    • Jan. 22, 17:30–18:30 (EET): Panel “Insurance Programs Accelerating New Investments and Supporting Ukraine’s Economic Recovery.” Organized in collaboration with Marsh McLennan.
    • Jan. 23, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Panel “Ukraine: A $12 Trillion Critical Mineral Superpower.” Co-hosted by BGV GROUP MANAGEMENT, highlighting Ukraine’s potential in critical minerals.
    • Jan. 23, 15:30–16:30 (EET): Panel “Leadership, Competitiveness, Sustainability: Success Stories of Ukraine’s Top Investors and Enterprises.” Featuring insights from Ukraine’s largest investors.

    KI Insights
    Visit KI Insights to learn more and subscribe to the insider weekly newsletter
    visit ki insights
    2025 – A Turning Point for Ukraine
    Editor’s note: This article is a special edition of the KI Insights’ The Week Ahead newsletter, looking at challenges and opportunities facing Ukraine in 2025. 2025 is gearing up to be a decisive year for Ukraine. The country’s leadership will need to navigate a turbulent international landscape, a…
    The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & MarketsThe Kyiv IndependentKI Insights
    The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets
  • Fico accuses Slovak opposition leader of 'kissing Zelensky's ring'

    Fico accuses Slovak opposition leader of 'kissing Zelensky's ring'

    Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused opposition leader Michal Simecka of “kissing Zelensky’s ring” during his recent visit to Kyiv and said the MP wanted to stage a coup d’etat in Bratislava.

    Simecka, the pro-Western leader of the Progressive Slovakia party, headed a delegation of Slovak opposition MPs on a visit to Kyiv Jan. 17. The aim of the visit was to “reopen the door that Robert Fico slammed with his aggressive outbursts,” Simecka said.

    In an address posted to Facebook late on Jan. 18, Fico said the delegates were “kissing (President Volodymyr) Zelensky’s ring” and “promising him support for Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”

    Fico said the opposition wanted to stage a coup and alluded to Ukraine’s EuroMaidan revolution in his accusation.

    “We are preparing for all possible alternatives,” he said.

    “We will be ready for everything. Especially for Maidan, that is, a coup d’etat across the street, which the opposition, especially Progressive Slovakia, is so tenaciously trying to achieve.”

    Fico, a pro-Russian politician who has long opposed military aid to Ukraine, has escalated threats against Kyiv following the termination of Russian gas transit via Ukrainian territory on Jan. 1.  He has threatened to limit aid to Ukrainians and cut off electricity supplies amid an energy crisis brought on by Russia’s relentless attacks against Ukraine’s power grid.

    As tensions mount, Zelensky and Fico have signaled they may hold talks in the coming days. Fico told reporters on Jan. 16 that he might meet with Zelensky at an unspecified location in the “next few days.” Zelensky on Jan. 17 invited Fico to visit Kyiv.  

    In his address, Fico showed no signs of softening his rhetoric against Ukraine.

    “Robert Fico is the Slovak Prime Minister, not a Ukrainian servant,” he said.

    The prime minister said he would likely veto future financial aid to Ukraine from the European Union and reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership.

    “The government I lead will never support Ukraine’s membership in NATO, because it would only lead to World War III,” Fico said.

    “The government will also never propose sending soldiers to Ukraine to turn their weapons against the Russian Federation.”

    Fico’s friendliness towards the Kremlin has sparked outrage both at home and abroad. His meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in December drew condemnation from other European leaders. Mass protests erupted in Bratislava in early January, with thousands chanting “We are not Russia.”

    A coalition of Slovak opposition parties announced on Jan. 14 that they planned to initiate a vote of no confidence in Fico’s government.

    Zelensky slaps sanctions on Ukraine’s top pro-Russian politicians
    President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree imposing new sanctions on Ukraine’s top pro-Russian politicians, he announced on Jan. 19.
    Fico accuses Slovak opposition leader of 'kissing Zelensky's ring'The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
    Fico accuses Slovak opposition leader of 'kissing Zelensky's ring'

  • 24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier killed in action near Bakhmut

    24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier killed in action near Bakhmut

    Maria Zaitseva, a 24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier fighting for Ukraine, was killed in action near the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on Jan. 17, Nasha Niva reported.

    Zaitseva joined the Ukrainian army after the start of Russia’s full-scale war and fought with the 2nd International Legion Battalion.

    She turned 24 on Jan. 16, a day before she was killed by Russian forces.

    In August 2020, Zaitseva participated in the protests in Minsk against alleged presidential election fraud in Belarus. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed to have won elections by a landslide with 80% of the vote, provoking nationwide protests and a subsequent regime crackdown on dissent.

    During protests, fragments of a flash grenade severely injured Zaitseva’s arm and head. Her photo from the protests with her face covered in blood went viral.

    “Gravely injured during the 2020 Belarus protests, she gave her life for freedom,” said Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tsikhanouskaya, describing Zaitseva as “an icon of our revolution."

    This is utterly heartbreaking. Maria Zaitseva, an icon of our revolution, was killed at just 24 years old while defending 🇺🇦. Gravely injured during the 2020 Belarus protests, she gave her life for freedom. My deepest condolences to her family & friends at this unimaginable loss. pic.twitter.com/i7G7wAITrQ

    — Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) January 17, 2025

    After being injured, Zaitseva was treated in the Czech Republic, where she underwent several surgeries. She said that the injury caused a hematoma in her brain. She also lost hearing in one ear.

    Hundreds of Belarusians have joined the Ukrainian army since 2014, and over 60 of them have been killed in action, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. In Belarus, volunteer fighters risk imprisonment, and the Lukashenko regime harasses their families.

    Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus
    In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…
    24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier killed in action near BakhmutThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier killed in action near Bakhmut

  • Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills

    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills

    OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus.

    Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia.

    Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison.

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    Irregular crossings into EU from eastern borders more than triple in 2024, Frontex reports.

    Belarusian state TV airs a propaganda film with jailed journalists, attempting to discredit their coverage of 2020 elections ahead of upcoming vote.

    Belarusian opposition announced it will issue “New Belarus” passports, yet legal uncertainty remains for exiles.

    Belarus refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

    Minsk has not invited observers from the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions to monitor the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus, the OSCE announced on Jan. 9.

    The presidential elections, which are expected to provide Belarus’s longtime dictator Alexander Lukashenko with a seventh term in office, are scheduled for Jan. 26. The poll, dismissed as a “sham” by the Belarusian opposition, will be the first presidential race since the 2020 election — which sparked an unprecedented wave of anti-government protests and an ongoing domestic political crisis.

    The OSCE said Belarus’ decision not to invite its member states via the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was “regrettable” and “deprives the country’s citizens of a transparent and full assessment of the entire process.”

    “The lack of transparency further undermines faith in the electoral system of Belarus,” said OSCE PA President Pia Kauma.

    This is the third time the office will be unable to observe elections in Belarus since the contested 2020 vote — it was not invited to observe the 2022 constitutional referendum or parliamentary elections.

    Speaking at a meeting with the chairs of regional executive committees on Jan. 3, Lukashenko mentioned the idea of inviting international observers, saying, “We should meet with the Central Commission once again and decide whether we will invite these foreigners (Western observers) to the elections.”

    However, Lukashenko raised the issue less than three weeks before the elections, with the key stages of the campaign — the nomination of candidates, the formation of local electoral committees, and the selection of national observers — already having been carried out.

    The rushed presidential election campaign is being held nearly half a year earlier than is stipulated in Belarus’s election law. The Belarusian Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the heads of three loyalist parties — Aleh Haidukevich, Alexander Hizhnyak, and Siarhei Syrankou — along with another sham candidate representing the so-called “constructive opposition” — Hanna Kanapatskaya — to “challenge” Lukashenko for the presidency.

    As of Jan. 8, the Belarusian Central Electoral Committee (CEC) had accredited 362 foreign observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (PA CSTO) — all Russia-led international alliances favoring the Lukashenko regime.

    Among the 28,330 national observers, 79% come from political parties or pro-government professional unions, the independent news outlet Pozirk reports. Since 2020, Lukashenko has eliminated all but four loyal political parties and liquidated over 1,800 civil society organizations.

    The expert observation mission organized by the Viasna Human Rights Center and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee claims that the electoral campaign is organized in a “repressive climate of threat, fear-mongering, pressure, and persecution in connection with any civil activity unauthorized by the state.”

    Will Transnistria’s gas crisis lead to its collapse and reintegration into Moldova?
    By halting natural gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1, Russia created an unprecedented economic crisis in the Russian-occupied part of the country — Transnistria. The crisis prompted a question: will the breakaway region, occupied by Russia since 1992, survive without Russian gas? Free-of-charge Ru…
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drillsThe Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills

    Minsk expects 13,000 Russian troops to take part in joint military drills in 2025

    Over 13,000 Russian troops will participate in the Zapad-2025 joint military exercise, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 10, citing Major General Valery Revenka.

    Military allies Russia and Belarus have been conducting the Zapad (“West” in Russian) strategic drills every two years since 2009. Approximately 12,800 Russian soldiers were hosted in Belarus in 2021. Another military drill, “Union Resolve 2022,” followed the Zapad-2021, and was used to disguise a troop buildup on the Ukrainian border ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022.

    In an interview with a state-owned TV channel, Major General Revenka said that Belarus has already notified OSCE member states about the drills in line with the Vienna Document, extending an invitation to “allies, friends, partners” to observe the exercises.

    According to Revenka, Belarus “views positively” only some EU and NATO member countries — without specifying which ones. Noting that Belarus had not been invited to observe European military drills last year, Revenka said that a decision regarding an invitation to NATO members remained to be taken.

    The date of the Zapad-2025 drills has not officially been announced, but they are believed to be scheduled for September 2025. In October 2024, the Belarusian Air Force announced “major drills with Russia in September 2025,” right after a meeting of the joint board of the Belarusian and Russian Defense Ministries approved a concept plan for the Zapad-2025 joint strategic exercise.

    The Vienna Document on security and confidence-building requires its members to provide notification 42 days or more prior to holding military drills.

    Aside from Zapad-2025, Belarus plans to host three military drills — Search, Interaction, and Echelon — along with members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russia-led bloc Moscow set up in 2002, over a decade after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact.

    While not committing Belarusian troops to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a jumping off point for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, provided supplies to the Russian army, and offered to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

    EU diplomatic staffer in Belarus sentenced to 4 years in prison

    Minsk City Court has handed down a four-year prison sentence to a local staff member of the European Union’s diplomatic service in Belarus, Politico reported on Jan. 9.

    The sentence, issued in late December 2024, has only now been made public. The court found the EU staffer, Mikalai Khilo, guilty of “incitement of hatred and calls for actions harming Belarus’s national security.”

    The EU’s External Action Service condemned the decision and reiterated calls for Khilo to be released.

    “We continue calling for Mikalai Khilo’s immediate and unconditional release,” EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anitta Hipper said in a statement shared with Politico.

    The EU diplomatic service previously called for Khilo’s release ahead of his trial, which was held on Dec. 23. At the time, a Lithuanian member of the European Parliament, Petras Auštrevičius, told Politico that Minsk was “testing the EU” by arresting its employee. He said Belarusian diplomats should be expelled from the EU if Khilo was convicted.

    Forty-one-year-old Khilo split his time between working for the EU diplomatic mission and serving as a preacher in a local Baptist church, as confirmed by CV (formerly known as Christian Vision) — an international Christian ministry that monitors the repression of clergy and religious groups.  

    According to an unnamed EU official, Khilo was detained by the Belarusian KGB security service in front of the EU delegation office on April 24, 2024. The Viasna Human Rights Center, a human rights organization based in Belarus, recognizes Khilo as a political prisoner.

    Although there have recently been eight rounds of pardons of political prisoners in Belarus, 1,240 political prisoners remain behind bars in the country. According to CV, 86 clergymen from various confessions are behind bars because of their public support for anti-government protests in 2020.

    ‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection
    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drillsThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills

    EU border agency: Irregular crossings of eastern border more than tripled in 2024

    The number of detected cases of migrants irregularly entering the European Union through its eastern borders more than tripled in 2024, to 17,000, the European border agency Frontex said in a report on Jan. 14.

    Following the introduction of European sanctions in 2021 over the contested 2020 presidential election and crackdown on dissent, the regime of Lukashenko orchestrated an artificial migration crisis, allowing migrants from the Middle East and African to storm Belarus-EU borders.

    Frontex preliminary data show that while the overall number of irregular border crossings to the European Union declined by 38% (returning to the post-pandemic level of 2021), the eastern border route (including Belarus and Ukraine) bucked the general trend: There were 17,000 illegal crossings of the bloc’s eastern border out of a total of 239,000 crossings recorded in Europe last year.

    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills
    A woman holds barbed wire while attending a demonstration against the Polish government's plans to suspend the right to asylum for refugees illegally crossing the Polish-Belarusian border, Krakow, Poland on Oct. 28, 2024. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

    In 2021, the EU recorded 8,000 illegal crossings of its eastern border, in what Frontex monitoring described as a “hybrid operation targeting the EU external border.” Following an initial settlement that led to a decline in the registered irregular border crossings to 5,608 in 2023, the artificial migration crisis reignited again, with Russia joining the effort.

    In late 2024, the EU authorities revealed that 90% of the migrants arriving via Belarus had Russian student or travel visas. The bloc pledged 170 million euros to its eastern members — Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Finland — and to Norway to fortify their borders.

    As “hybrid warfare” involving migrants continues, the border security agencies of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have thwarted a total of 36,291 attempts to illegally cross their borders from Belarus in 2024.

    In 2024, Poland reimposed a 200-meter-wide buffer zone next to its border with Belarus, and considered temporarily suspending the right to asylum.

    Belarusian state TV shows jailed journalists ahead of 2025 vote

    The Belarusian state-owned TV channel ONT aired on Jan. 14 the first segment of propaganda interviews with journalists held in Belarusian prisons, in an apparent attempt to discredit the work of independent media during the 2020 presidential elections.

    In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, widely viewed as neither free nor fair, the free media field in Belarus was eradicated. Thirty-seven journalists remain behind bars on politically motivated charges, and hundreds were forced into exile. In 2024 alone, 35 independent media were branded as “extremist” and banned in Belarus.

    The first part of the series “about employees of American Media,” was filmed in prisons, yet is titled “Freedom of Speech.” RFE/RL’s Belarus Service freelancer and political prisoner Andrey Kuznechyk, who was charged with six years of imprisonment for allegedly “creating and participating in an extremist formation.”

    In the interview, Kuznechyk appears in a black robe in the prison yard, looking emaciated. The interviewer urges him to condemn the independent media in Belarus for biased coverage and “trying to set Belarus on fire” during the 2020 elections.

    The program is airing ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential elections, the first presidential vote since the contested 2020 race, which is expected to provide Lukashenko with a seventh consecutive term in office. After winning the country’s first and last fair election in 1994, Lukashenko remained in power for 30 years, gradually giving up parts of Belarusian sovereignty to Russia.

    Other segments are to feature RFE/RL Belarus Service journalist Ihar Losik, who has been held incommunicado for nearly two years, as well as former reporter Ihar Karney and opposition activist Yuras Zyankovich, who hold dual citizenship of Belarus and the United States.

    The international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF)  placed Belarus 167th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index, calling the country the fourth largest jailer of journalists in the world, and Europe's most dangerous country for journalists up until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Belarusian opposition announces issuing ‘New Belarus’ passports

    Political opponents of the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will start accepting applications for the alternative identity documents for exiled Belarusians on Jan. 26, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has announced on her Telegram channel.

    In September 2023, Lukashenko barred Belarusian embassies from issuing or renewing passports of Belarusians living abroad, forcing the regime’s critics to return to Belarus — risking arrest — to renew their essential documents. As a result of Lukashenko’s move, over 300,000 exiles who have fled Belarus since the contested 2020 elections risk finding themselves in legal limbo, unable to prove their identity, renew residence permits, or access essential services in host countries with expired passports.

    In response, the Belarusian opposition in exile announced the “New Belarus” passport project in 2023, but there was little progress on it in 2024. After a change of leadership of the project and a scandal involving the Lithuanian contractor for producing the passports — which was found to have ties with the Lukashenko regime — the opposition has since produced the first prototypes of the passport.

    However, the new document has yet to be recognized as suitable for travel or as official proof of identity, and it will initially be available only to EU-based Belarusians due to verification constraints, according to project head Marius Gudelaitis.

    Franak Viachorka, a chief advisor to Tsikhanouskaya, said that the passports will have “specific functionality” within a year.

    “Our goal is that this document can replace a foreign passport, be used for travel, and also replace expired (Belarusian) passports when submitting documents for legalization, for example,” Viachorka told news outlet Zerkalo.

    However, the former head of the passport project, Valery Kavaleuski, who earlier resigned from Tsikhanouskaya’s Transitional Cabinet, has warned that gaining recognition for the document under present conditions is unlikely. According to Kavaleuski, the issuing center has had to undergo an independent audit before issuing the documents. Besides, the passport will reportedly use a new country code, instead of the existing Belarusian one, which Kavaleuski described as a "dead end" for the recognition process.

    The passport will be presented to the public at the “Belarusians Deserve Better” congress in Warsaw, Poland on Jan. 26 – the same day as Lukashenko's latest presidential election, which has been dismissed as a sham by the Belarusian opposition. Meanwhile, Belarusian prosecutors have already issued warnings that congress participants could face criminal prosecution.

    Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus
    In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drillsThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
    Belarus Week: Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills
  • Slovak opposition announces no-confidence vote against PM

    Slovak opposition announces no-confidence vote against PM

    Slovakia’s pro-Western opposition parties announced plans to initiate a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, citing concerns over his governance and foreign policy direction, TASR news agency reported on Jan. 14.

    The opposition — Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democrats, and others — criticized Fico for undermining Slovakia’s pro-European stance and failing to address domestic issues such as healthcare, rising prices, and administrative inefficiencies.

    Opposition leader Michal Simecka of Progressive Slovakia accused Fico of steering Slovakia toward pro-Russian policies. “Fico has left Slovakia,” Simecka said, referencing the prime minister’s recent travels, including a controversial visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Fico’s Kremlin-friendly stance has drawn widespread criticism, with accusations that he prioritizes ties with autocratic regimes over Slovakia’s Western alliances.

    Protests erupted in Slovakia’s capital on Jan. 3, with thousands chanting pro-EU slogans and condemning Fico’s policies.

    The opposition has criticized Fico’s domestic governance, accusing him of neglecting pressing national issues while alienating Slovakia from its Western allies. “We will not allow Fico to turn Slovakia eastward,” Simecka said, as reported by Aktuality.

    Efforts to convene an extraordinary parliamentary session to reaffirm Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation failed due to a lack of coalition support. The opposition now plans to use the no-confidence vote as a platform to challenge Fico’s policies and leadership.

    Relations between Slovakia and Ukraine have deteriorated after Kyiv allowed a pre-war Russian gas transit deal to expire on Dec. 31, 2024. In retaliation, Fico threatened to reduce aid to Ukrainian refugees and cut electricity exports to Ukraine.

    Before Fico’s government took power, Slovakia had been a leading supporter of Ukraine, delivering military aid and fighter jets.

    Fico’s administration reversed this policy, halting arms shipments and adopting rhetoric critical of the West’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

    Public dissatisfaction with Fico’s policies has been growing, as demonstrated by the Bratislava protests. Demonstrators carried Slovak and EU flags, played the EU anthem, and displayed banners like “We are Europe” and “Fico, go to Moscow, leave Slovakia in peace."

    Ukraine targets Russia’s industrial plants, ammunition depots in ‘massive’ strike overnight
    Chemical plants, refineries, the Engels airbase, and other facilities in Russia were successfully targeted, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.
    Slovak opposition announces no-confidence vote against PMThe Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
    Slovak opposition announces no-confidence vote against PM

  • Russian-friendly incumbent Zoran Milanovic re-elected president of Croatia

    Russian-friendly incumbent Zoran Milanovic re-elected president of Croatia

    Croatia’s populist incumbent president, Zoran Milanovic, was re-elected to the post by a wide margin on Jan. 12, election results show.

    Milanovic defeated Dragan Primorac, the candidate of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s HDZ party, by a margin of 74.7% to 25.3%, with 99% of polls reporting. The total turnout sat around 44% of eligible voters.

    Milanovic is a staunch critic of Western aid for Ukraine as well as the country’s future accession into the military alliance. He previously referred to Ukraine’s 2014 Euromaidan protests as a “coup d’état” and has railed against Western allies and Ukraine for not respecting the Minsk Agreements.

    In October, Milanovic refused to approve the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine.

    Milanovic’s re-election to the largely symbolic position serves as a setback for Plenkovic’s government, whose government was recently embroiled in a corruption scandal implicating a former health minister.

    Milanovic, who served as Croatia’s prime minister from 2011 to 2016 amid the country’s accession into the European Union, was first elected to the presidency in 2020 with the support of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    “This is the beginning of the end for Andrej Plenkovic,” SDP leader Sinisa Hajdas Doncic said following Milanovic’s victory.

    The Croatian government, mainly aligned with Plenkovic, has strongly supported military aid to Kyiv, including the delivery of 14 Mi-8 helicopters, and Plenkovic himself has made several visits to Ukraine.

    Croatian president opposes country’s participation in NATO’s Ukraine mission
    Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has refused to approve the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine, citing concerns about the conflict potentially spreading to Croatia and prioritizing the safety of his country.
    Russian-friendly incumbent Zoran Milanovic re-elected president of CroatiaThe Kyiv IndependentSonya Bandouil
    Russian-friendly incumbent Zoran Milanovic re-elected president of Croatia

  • Lukashenko refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

    Lukashenko refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

    Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has refused to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country’s upcoming presidential election, the OSCE said in a statement issued Jan. 9.

    Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a seventh term on Jan. 26. The regime’s election rigging in 2020 — the last time Belarus held a presidential vote — sparked mass protests and a subsequent violent crackdown.

    The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said Minsk’s decision not to invite observers was “deeply regrettable” and a violation of the country’s international obligations.

    “I deeply regret the decision of the Belarusian authorities not to invite OSCE states through ODIHR to observe the forthcoming presidential election, depriving the country’s citizens of a transparent and full assessment of the entire process,” ODIHR Director Maria Telalian said.

    “This decision underscores the continued lack of commitment by the Belarusian authorities to invite other OSCE states to observe and provide an independent view on whether the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and international democratic standards."

    ODIHR said it had reached out to Belarusian officials over the past few months in efforts to secure an invitation to observe the elections, but received no offer.

    OSCE monitors were also unable to observe the August 2020 election due to lack of a timely invitation, the organization said.

    According to OSCE, the office is still monitoring events in Belarus, despite its inability to observe the Jan. 26 vote.

    OSCE urges Tbilisi to institute reforms in final report on Georgian parliamentary elections
    “To safeguard the democratic principles currently at stake in Georgia, it is imperative that the authorities urgently address all concerns,” OSCE representative Eoghan Murphy said.
    Lukashenko refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming electionThe Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert
    Lukashenko refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

  • “Dali: I will get my life back.” Kharkiv remembers poet, soldier Maksym Kryvtsov 1 year after he was killed in combat mission in Russia’s war

    Photo exhibition in honor of Maksym Kryvtsov, “Dali: I will get my life back” / Photo: Ivan Samoilov, Gwara Media

    UKRAINE, KHARKIV — On January 7, a photo exhibition called “Dali: I will get my life back” opened in Kharkiv to honor Maksym Kryvtsov (also called Dali), a poet and a soldier, who was killed in a combat mission near Kharkiv a year ago. The exhibition features photographs and personal belongings of the artist and soldier.

    Kryvtsov was an activist in Euromaidan protests in 2013, and volunteered to join the army after Russia first invaded in 2014. He remained a soldier after the Russian full-scale invasion and wrote a poetry book “Poems from the Gunport" from the frontline that was published in 2023. 

    When the note of his death reached his mother, she wrote on her Facebook: “The violets will grow through my dear son’s body... Oh, God."

    Visitors can join the exhibition "Dali: I Will Take Back My Life" at the Makers café on Skovorody Street, 36 in the city center of Kharkiv. It will be open until January 22.   

    A fragment of GM’s translation of one of Maksym Kryvtsov’s poems: 

    If war is a song,

    then it’s a song without words,

    a song without notes,

    without music,

    a song

    that was sung before humans

    before the world was made,

    a song without song and a song of all songs. 

    The exhibition is part of nationwide activities organized in honor of Kryvtsov. Visitors will be able to donate and receive merchandise featuring Dali's quotes and drawings. The funds raised will support the activities of the charity fund bearing his name.

    The memory platform Memorial was created to tell more people about Maksym's Kryvtsov. The authors of this project put together his biography facts, memories of relatives and friends about Maksym, and his poetry, and photos to reveal his personality and reconstruct his life path.

    Read more

    The post “Dali: I will get my life back.” Kharkiv remembers poet, soldier Maksym Kryvtsov 1 year after he was killed in combat mission in Russia’s war appeared first on Gwara Media.