Belarus
Belarusian firm providing Russia with military-quality microchips
A Belarusian state-owned enterprise has been supplying Russia with microchips crucial for missile production, using Western-manufactured equipment, components and raw materials in violation of international sanctions.
RIDDLE: Sanctions and the Eurasian Economic Union
The first months of 2025 are likely to mark a turning point in the history of sanctions against Russia: after three years of "escalating" but steadily reducing the tempo of sanctions policy. Are sanctions working?
Belarus President Lukashenko wins re-election in a landslide, to no one’s surprise
In power since 1994, the “last dictator in Europe” took another election victory after five years of mounting repression that has crushed any opposition to his rule.
Belarus' Lukashenko is a shoo-in for his seventh election as president
Belarusians go to the polls this weekend to vote in a presidential election that is almost certain to see incumbent Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko returned to office for the seventh time.
Lukashenko mulls building a second nuclear power plant
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is mulling the idea of building a second nuclear power plant (NPP) to improve the country’s energy security and earn more money from exports to Russia.
North Korea rejects Belarus summit proposal, calls for clarity in relations
In a rare public statement, Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister and influential political figure, has clarified her country’s stance on a proposed summit with Belarus
Belarusian blogger sets up a parody bank and token as a joke and unexpectedly becomes a millionaire
A Belarusian blogger set up a fake bank and launched a meme token as a joke and was stunned when it made him a millionaire in under a week.
NEO: Why pick-up points for online orders are gaining popularity vs. home delivery
The share of European consumers preferring home delivery for online orders dropped from 73% to 64% over the past year, according to a Last Mile Experts study.
First sighting of Belarusian jailed opposition leader Viktor Babariko in two years
Jailed Belarusian opposition politician Viktor Babariko, a prominent challenger to President Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 election, has sent a video message to his family in his first public appearance in more than two years.
Russia, Belarus make first cross-border digital financial asset transactions
The first cross-border transactions using digital financial assets (DFA) between Russia and Belarus have taken place as both countries try to avoid US financial sanctions.
Belarus tests new BUK missile system as a low-key arms race in Eastern Europe gathers momentum
Belarus conducted a test launch of a new Buk-MB2 air defence missile near its border with Ukraine on December 10, Ukrinform reports, as all parties to the Ukraine war ramp up their missile development and production capacity.
CSTO states express serious concern over terrorist threat in Afghanistan
Putin says country’s security situation stabilising, but killing of Chinese worker in Tajikistan in possible cross-border raid has raised anxiety.
Armenia refuses to host Eurasian Economic Union summit
Yerevan's refusal to host the summit comes amid growing tensions with Russia over the latter's inaction against Azerbaijan's military activities in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
COMMENT: Trump 2.0 could be a blessing for Belarus
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was quicker than many American news networks to pronounce Donald Trump the winner of the recent US presidential election. Lukashenko showered Trump with compliments as soon as the results were out.
COMMENT: The EU’s Internal Security Framework is unfit for Cold War 2.0
Not only has Trump's re-election undermined the EU’s reliance on American security structures, but it is also facing unprecedented strain in the form of hybrid attacks from rogue states.
Poland’s Tusk moots diplomatic offensive before Trump’s presidency
Poland’s key concern is Trump following through on his pledge to try to quickly end the war in Ukraine, which Warsaw is worried means forcing Ukraine to concede territories lost to Russia by cutting short military aid to Kyiv.
Belarus Election Committee registers six pro-regime candidates to run against Lukashenko in 2025 presidential election
The Belarusian Central Election Committee (CEC) has registered six pro-regime candidates to run against incumbent Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in the January 26 presidential elections.
Ukraine war fuelling a manufacturing and FDI boom in the CIS
The war in Ukraine is fuelling a FDI and manufacturing boom in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as local entrepreneurs rush to fill the gaping holes left in Russia’s supply chains by departing Western firms, reports Oxford Economics.