Contents tagged with Belarus
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President of Belarus threatens joint response with Russia if the USA deploys missiles in Europe
Belarus may employ reciprocal measures together with Russia if the USA deploys missiles in Europe in violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated, BelTA reports.
“I am afraid that the Americans will grab the fleeting opportunity to deploy the missiles in Europe after breaking the treaty. If they do, things will turn nasty for us. And together with Russia we will have to think about reciprocal measures. It is unavoidable if …
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Media: Ukraine started purchasing Russian coal through Belarus
Russian coal companies had to resort to indirect supplies of coal to Ukraine through Belarus because of trade restrictions imposed by Russia, RBC news agency reports, citing sources in the coal companies.
“We cannot supply them directly. Quotas prevent us from doing so,” one of the interlocutors stated.
According to one of RBC’s sources, Russian companies used to export coal to Ukraine under the guise of export to Europe. Raw materials were delivered to Ukrainian ports ostensibly for export, …
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Lukashenko: I will never surrender Belarus to Poland or Russia
During a meeting with members of the Military Academy, President Alexander Lukashenko called the sovereignty and independence of Belarus his main achievement, BELTA reported.
“I am both proud and happy to be the first president of this sovereign country. And what we have created together is the biggest achievement,” said the president of Belarus.
Commenting on the rumors about the threats to the sovereignty of Belarus coming from Russia, the president said that he could not “bury” an …
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Former NATO Secretary-General: Belarus faces annexation by Russia
The former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview with LIGA.net, stated that Belarus faces the threat of annexation by Russia.
“The key risk is a repeat of what happened in Ukraine after the war and the annexation. Belarus can expect the same scenario if it does not begin reforms,” he said.
Rasmussen called on Belarus to begin reforms which would lead to democracy and freedom before it's too late.
“We heard Vladimir Putin’s statement where he said that Belarus must be …
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President of Belarus Lukashenko will not attend the Munich Conference because of meeting with Putin
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko refused to participate in the Munich Conference because he will be having talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus.
Lukashenko was to take part in a panel discussion with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the President of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Georgia and the OSCE Secretary General.
“However, literally at the very last moment certain temporary issues arose. The need to …
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Poland stops assistance to Belarusian opposition website Charter 97
On February 14, the Editor-in-Chief of the Belarusian opposition website Charter97.org, Natalya Radina was invited to the Polish Foundation for International Solidarity, where she was informed that the site could expect Poland’s support in 2019 to be reduced fivefold, as reported on the edition’s website.
“Such a sharp reduction of the site assistance actually means its destruction. Poland helped us after the website editorial office was crushed in Belarus, our site’s founder Oleg Bebenin was …
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Belarus builds military roads to Ukrainian border
In the Almany Mires nature reserve in Belarus’s Brest Oblast, which borders with Ukraine, operations are underway to upgrade the roads, which could be used for military purposes, Charter 97 reports, citing a source in one of Ukraine’s ministries.
The source explained on condition of anonymity that the road infrastructure being built in Belarus will make it easier for border guards to reach their service locations, and will also provide an additional way to move Belarusian military equipment to …
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Kremlin: Russia will not deploy missiles in Belarus in response to US withdrawal from Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Mikhail Babich, the Russian Ambassador to Belarus, and special representative for the development of trade and economic cooperation stated that Russia is not planning on deploying its missiles in Belarus in response to the US withdrawing from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. According to him, Moscow and Minsk already have a joint plan for defense and security and the countries will adhere to them.
“As for the deployment of missiles on the territory of Belarus, this, of …
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Lithuanian special services: Belarus is a 'buffer state' in Russian military doctrine
According to the Annual Threat Assessment prepared by two Lithuanian special services, the Department of State Security and Military Intelligence of Lithuania, Russia consistently strengthens military facilities in the Kaliningrad region, however, the additional NATO forces deployed in the Baltic region and the growing national forces of Baltic countries reduce the likelihood of conflict, Interfax reported.
“The [Russian] military group deployed in the region is consistently being strengthened: …
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Hungary may oppose EU arms embargo on Belarus
EU ambassadors will soon discuss the extension of the embargo on selling weapons to Belarus. The matter has been reviewed annually since 2011, and requires the consent of all 28 EU member-states.
However, this year there is reason to believe that the extension of the embargo may be blocked by Hungary, which has already exempt biathlon rifles and other sport weapons from the embargo.
Diplomatic sources told Radio Liberty that Hungary has already warned that, before supporting the arms embargo, …