#alyaksandr lukashenka

[tomorrowusa]

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, one of the world's least intellectually gifted leaders, is basically a pawn of Vladimir Putin.

Lukashenko (or Lukashenka if you use the Belarusian transliteration of his surname) is telling the world, "join Belarus and Russia and we'll give you nukes!"

President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that nations who are willing “to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus” will be given nuclear weapons, days after confirming the transfer of some tactical nuclear weapons from Moscow to Minsk had begun.

Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made the comments in an on-camera interview released Sunday on the state-run Russia 1 channel.

During the interview, Lukashenko said, “no one minds Kazakhstan and other countries having the same close relations that we have with the Russian Federation.”

“It’s very simple,” he added. “Join the Union State of Belarus and Russia. That’s all: there will be nuclear weapons for everyone.”

It gets more obvious with each passing day why Ukraine wants to have absolutely nothing to do with Lukashenko and Putin.

So far I am unaware of any country willing to take Lukashenko up on his offer.

Most movement internationally has been away from the Lukashenko régime in Belarus. In fact, Poland has imposed new sanctions against Belarus.

Poland suspends freight traffic on border with Belarus from June 1

If the régime in Moscow begins to collapse, Lukashenko will be gone before the collapse is complete.

[mariacallous]

Belarus and Serbia have signed a cooperation agreement on fighting organized and hi-tech crime as well as on the joint training of police, special forces, and counterterrorism units, Serbia's government said on October 30. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Belarusian Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, who is visiting Minsk. Kubrakov is under EU, U.S., and U.K. sanctions for his role in the repression of protests following 2020 presidential elections that strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed to have won despite weeks of mass protests by the opposition, who said the polls were falsified. Vulin is on the U.S. sanctions list for his close ties with Russia. EU candidate Serbia initially aligned with the bloc in imposing sanctions on Belarus due to its involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but did not do so last year when sanctions were expanded. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.

[massispost]

New Post has been published on https://massispost.com/2023/11/csto-leaders-meet-in-belarus-for-summit-skipped-by-armenia/

CSTO Leaders Meet In Belarus for Summit Skipped by Armenia

MINSK — Leaders from five former Soviet countries that are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) met in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Thursday for a summit that has been skipped by their formal ally, Armenia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan attended the events hosted by Belarus’s Alyaksandr Lukashenka, with Armenia’s flag also flying at the Minsk airport and at the venue of the gathering, the Independence Palace, even though neither Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, nor other Armenian officials have participated in the workings of the summit that was preceded…

[newsakd]

[ad_1] Today marks three years since the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus and the Alyaksandr Lukashenka regime’s crackdown on the Belarusian people’s demands for freedom. The United States continues to stand with the brave people of Belarus as they seek a country grounded in the rule of law, respect for human rights, and an accountable, democratically-elected government. Today, the United States is sanctioning eight individuals and five entities for enabling Lukashenka’s domestic repression and facilitating Russia’s war against Ukraine. Additionally, we are imposing visa restrictions on 101 regime officials and their affiliates for undermining or harming democratic institutions in Belarus, including several judges responsible for issuing politically-motivated sentences against Belarusians for exercising their fundamental freedoms. We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all 1,500 political prisoners held by the Lukashenka regime, including Ales Bialiatski, Viktar Babaryka, Maria Kalesnikava, Ihar Losik, and Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Since 2020, the Lukashenka regime has repressed Belarusian citizens, arrested peaceful protesters and community leaders, cracked down on opposition groups and civil society organizations, and subjected those detained to sham trials, all to maintain Lukashenka’s illegitimately acquired authority. The United States will continue to support the people of Belarus in their pursuit of a democratic future in free Belarus where human rights are respected. The Department of the Treasury is designating the “Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee of Belarus” and four members of its board of directors; three family members of U.S.-designated Aliaksey Ivanavich Aleksin; three entities owned or controlled by the Government of Belarus: Open Joint Stock Company Belavia Belarusian Airlines (Belavia), Open Joint Stock Company Minsk Civil Aviation Plant 407, Joint Stock Company Byelorussian Steel Works Management Company (BSW); one entity, Bel-Kap-Steel LLC, for being owned or controlled by BSW; and is identifying one aircraft owned by Belavia as blocked property. Treasury is taking these actions pursuant to Executive Order 14038  “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Belarus.” For more information about these designations, see Treasury’s press release . [ad_2] Source link

[wafact]

The Belarusian opposition can help defeat Putin in Ukraine

One of the underappreciated aspects of Russia’s war on Ukraine has been the strategic role of Belarus in both the initial invasion and subsequent conduct of the war. In his quest to shore up his own position following the mass pro-democracy protests of 2020, Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has positioned Belarus as a vital component in the Kremlin’s war effort; in so doing, he has…

[lakosa]

I don't understand what's wrong with Americans. Why do they not want to notice and devalue the problems of other countries???? PEACEFUL protests in Belarus in which police SHOOT, BEAT !random passers-by! compared with the BLM in which aggression was shown more from the side of ordinary citizens. Lukashenko (the President of Belarus) is in power !!26!! years and people can't do anything because every election is rigged!!! I get disgusted when I hear from Americans "and we have trump (((((". HE is the PRESIDENT for ONLY 3 YEARS AND YOU CAN re-ELECT him. Now there is a civil war in Belarus, and this topic should be covered and shown!

Below are photos of how peaceful protests take place and how the police beat people for them

[stop-ugly]

Do YOU know what is happening in Belarus?

[kateua]

In case you're wondering what's going on in Belarus right now.

You can watch some of the videos here.

More articles:

[tomorrowusa]

Historian and author Timothy D. Snyder on Twitter.

It’s difficult to imagine Russia not having played some part in the hijacking of Ryanair flight 4978 over Belarus and the kidnapping of Roman Protasevich.     

Belarus’s dictator Alexander Lukashenko is a lot like Trump. He’s a flabby and buffoonish ignorant loudmouth who thinks that public acts of repression make him appear strong. In fact, such people are personally weak and go cowering in the basement as soon as things start to look dicey. Another thing they have in common: both Lukashenko and Trump have easily been manipulated by Vladimir Putin.

Actions like this air piracy incident are only likely to make the opposition to Lukashenko go more underground.

Roughly two-thirds of the land border of Belarus is with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Lukashenko can’t seal the country off like North Korea.

Old school technology like AM radio can still penetrate most of the country. The pro-democracy opposition will adapt.

Lukashenko may keep going for a while but the days when he could rule comfortably are gone. Most people hate him and will look for cracks in his régime to get rid of him when the opportunity arises. When the end comes for Lukashenko, it will happen relatively quickly. He needs to decide whether he prefers to end up like Viktor Yanukovych or like Nicolae Ceausescu.

BTW, I’ve read two of Prof. Snyder’s books and strongly recommend both of them.

On Tyranny Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

Bloodlands Europe Between Hitler and Stalin

[humanrightsupdates]

Belarus: Police unleash appalling violence on peaceful protesters

Amnesty International’s delegates in the Belarusian capital Minsk witnessed appalling violence unleashed by riot police on peaceful protesters who took to the streets last night after official announcements on election results, which protesters view as rigged. The “official exit poll results” announced by the government pointed to a sweeping win by the incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka, contradicting unofficial polls and public sentiment.

“Post-electoral violence by police has become a regular feature of politics in Belarus, where all forms of peaceful dissent are brutally suppressed. Last night Amnesty International delegates witnessed first-hand the viciousness of the police response, which included indiscriminate use of force, including stun grenades, against a peaceful crowd, and arbitrary arrests of individuals who were far from any protest,” said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

“One horrifying video shows a police van running over a protester at full speed on a wide road. This footage captures the blood-chilling ruthlessness of the Belarusian police’s actions last night, and shows why so many in Belarus are desperate for change.”

One protester is confirmed to have died last night in Minsk and dozens more have been seriously injured. - Amnesty International

[shahananasrin-blog]

[ad_1] Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka said Russian President Vladimir Putin is not trying to push Belarus into joining the war in Ukraine and vowed that Minsk's forces would never take part in the war unless Ukrainian troops crossed the border into Belarus."To involve Belarus...what will that give? Nothing," Lukashenka said in an online interview with a pro-Russian Ukrainian journalist published by state news agency BelTA on August 17. "If you Ukrainians do not cross our border, we will never participate in this war."While Belarus has not sent forces to fight in Ukraine, it has allowed Russia to use its territory as a staging ground for the full-scale invasion Moscow launched in February 2022, and Lukashenka has backed Russia's war and met with Putin frequently.He vowed in the interview to “always help Russia,” adding that they “are our allies."Lukashenka showed his loyalty in late June when he took part in talks to end a mutiny by the private Wagner mercenary group, claiming he helped halt the revolt by agreeing with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and Putin to host Wagner troops in Belarus.The authoritarian leader also said that there had been direct contacts between Ukraine and Belarus, including as recently as a few months ago, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy put a stop to them. The topics discussed included Belarus's potential involvement in the war, the potential use of nuclear weapons, and Wagner Group mercenaries."These questions accumulated. But we had these contacts, we talked. We don't mind. And there are still proposals to continue this dialogue."There has been no confirmation from Ukraine that these talks took place.Lukashenka said he believes Russia has achieved its goals in what Moscow calls its “special military operation” and said the two sides should sit at the negotiating table and be ready to discuss all issues, including the future of Crimea, which he said Russia would never relinquish, and other Ukrainian territories that Moscow claims."Negotiations should begin without preconditions. This is a classic of any diplomacy.... We need to sit down at the negotiating table and discuss everything. And Crimea, and Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk,and Luhansk," he said.Kyiv says peace talks are only possible if Russia stops attacking and withdraws.Zelenskiy has touted a peace initiative, which includes 10 principles that Kyiv wants to serve as the basis for peace. Among them, according to observers, is a demand for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.The president's chief of staff said last week that it was the only peace proposal discussed at a meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia on August 6. Officials from around 40 countries, including China the United States, and European countries, took part in the talks. Before launching the invasion, Russia claimed its security was under threat from Ukraine’s stated desire to join NATO. It also claimed that it had to protect native Russian-speakers, especially those in eastern Ukraine, from what Putin said were "neo-Nazis" and ultranationalists in power in Kyiv. The democratically elected government of Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected Russia's claims that Kyiv is led by neo-Nazis as nonsense and said that the war is nothing more than an attempt by Putin to grab Ukrainian territory.Lukashenka also reiterated that Belarus would use tactical nuclear weapons in the event of aggression by Ukrainian forces."There can be only one threat -- aggression against our country. If aggression against our country starts from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, we will respond instantly with everything we have," he said. Putin said in June that Russia would begin deploying tactical nuclear warheads in Belarus as soon as the storage facilities were prepared and would maintain control over the use of the weapons. With reporting by Reuters [ad_2]

[gettothedancing]

Tsimanouskaya took refuge in the Polish Embassy in Tokyo on August 2 after refusing to allow Belarusian team officials to force her onto a flight to Minsk after she criticized them. Two days later she boarded a plane to Europe, reaching Warsaw via a stopover in Vienna. Poland has granted the sprinter and her husband, who fled there via Ukraine, humanitarian visas. Tsimanouskaya's plight became a major story from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and refocused international attention on repression in Belarus since protests erupted when authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory in a disputed presidential election one year ago.

[33-uroda]

A very good article from CIS specialist outlet Meduza on the brutality unfolding in Belarus right now.

As someone who’s spent time in both Belarus and Russia, this is the first time Belarusians have really allowed themselves to believe that things can change, and ‘the last dictatorship in Europe’ can peacefully transition to a democratic state. Please don’t let them down now.

Belarus Solidarity Foundation - Support Belarusians on Strike

[bobszter]

a sohaviszontnemlátásra