Updated June 25, 2021
Belarus: An Overview
In 2020, protests against allegedly widespread electoral
Tsikhanouskaya became the united opposition candidate
fraud and a brutal crackdown on protesters led to the rise of
after two prominent potential candidates were denied
a mass opposition movement in Belarus , on a scale unseen
registration. On the campaign trail, Tsikhanouskaya
since the country became independent in 1991 (Belarus
pledged to be a transitional figure who would reintroduce
previously was part of the Soviet Union). The protests
democracy to Belarus. One denied candidate’s campaign
emerged in the wake of Belarus’s August 2020 presidential
manager, Mariya Kalesnikava, and the spouse of another
election, during which opposition candidate Sviatlana
denied candidate joined her on the campaign. The three
Tsikhanouskaya mounted an unexpectedly strong campaign
women attracted tens of thousands to demonstrations.
against Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for
more than 26 years.
Given Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule, observers did not
expect Tsikhanouskaya to win the election. However, the
Since August 2020, about 35,000 Belarusians reportedly
official pronouncement that Lukashenko won with an
have been detained or impris oned. More than 500,
evidently exaggerated 80% of the vote quickly led to
including 62 women, are considered political prisoners.
protests. The brutal crackdown that followed led to larger
Several individuals have been killed or have died under
protests that many observers characterized as “leaderless”
suspicious circumstances. The United States, the European
and sometimes attracted hundreds of thousands.
Union (EU), and others have called for an end to the
crackdown and for the government to hold free and fair
Figure 1. Belarus at a Glance
presidential elections.
Forced Diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978
On May 23, 2021, Belarusian authorities alleged a bomb
threat against Ryanair Flight 4978 (en route from Athens to
Vilnius) and required the plane to land in Minsk with a
military escort. The diversion was widely characterized as a
bomb hoax, and a senior EU official referred to it as an “act
of state piracy.” The apparent purpose of the diversion was
to capture flight passenger Raman Pratasevich, co-founder
of Nexta, a popular Belarusian online news channel that
facilitated 2020 postelection protests in Belarus. Authorities
arrested Pratasevich and his companion, Russian national
Sofia Sapega, after the plane landed. The United Nations’
International Civil Aviation Organization launched an
Sources: World Bank; Trade Data Monitor.
investigation of the incident. After the EU imposed related
sanctions in June 2021, authorities transferred Pratasevich
Tsikhanouskaya left Belarus after she was detained and
and Sapega to house arrest.
threatened with imprisonment. From neighboring Lithuania,
she formed a Coordination Council to help lead the
Political Background
opposition; five of the council’s seven senior members were
In past years, observers debated whether Lukashenko could
detained after it was established. Former campaign manager
be encouraged to preside over a “softer” and more
Kalesnikava was abducted and dispatched to the Belarus-
development-oriented authoritarian regime, but political
Poland border. She was imprisoned after she refused to
openings in Belarus were modest and short-lived.
leave the country. Kalesnikava and another council member
remain in prison. Others have left Belarus.
From May 2020, Belarusian authorities tried but failed to
suppress an unexpectedly energetic electoral opposition.
The opposition has organized various actions to increase
Tsikhanouskaya was a political novice who entered the race
pressure on the government of Belarus and to secure
after her spouse, Siarhei Tsikhanousky, a popular anti-
international attention. A network of former law
government video blogger, was denied candidate
enforcement officials who seek to expose alleged
registration when he and dozens of other government critics
government crimes has supported the opposition. Members
were in temporary detention. After his initial release,
of Belarus’s once-burgeoning information and
Tsikhanousky was arrested again while collecting
communications technology industry, many of whom have
signatures for his wife’s candidacy. In June 2021, trial
left the country, also have supported the opposition.
proceedings began against the imprisoned Tsikhanousky
and other political prisoners, including Radio Free
Relations with Russia
Europe/Radio Liberty consultant Ihar Losik.
Belarus’s closest partner is Russia. Belarus is a member of
the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Belarus: An Overview
the two countries share an air defense system. Belarus also
Since 2008, the United States has had no ambassador and a
is a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union
limited diplomatic presence in Belarus, originally due to
and relies heavily on Russian subsidized natural gas and oil
restrictions imposed by Minsk. In 2020, the Senate
and on Russian (and Chinese) loans. In addition, Belarus
confirmed the appointment of Julie D. Fisher as the first
and Russia are members of a largely aspirational bilateral
U.S. ambassador to Belarus in more than a decade. As of
“union state” that formally came into effect in 2000. Some
June 2021, Ambassador Fisher had not yet presented her
tensions between Belarus and Russia have increased in
credentials to the government of Belarus.
recent years, with the two countries at odds over energy,
debt, trade, and transit. Lukashenko also has rejected
In recent years, U.S. assistance to Belarus has focused on
Russian efforts to secure an airbase in Belarus.
independent media and civil society, private sector
development, and vulnerable populations. From FY2016 to
Observers have speculated that Russian authorities are
FY2020, the United States provided a total of about $47
using the political crisis in Belarus to deepen the two
million in obligated foreign assistance to Belarus. For
countries’ integration, something Lukashenko has sought to
FY2021, the State Department allocated $10.2 million in
avoid. The Russian government reportedly has provided
aid to Belarus. The President’s FY2022 State and Foreign
Belarus with new loans worth hundreds of millions of
Operations budget request includes $15 million “to support
dollars. Russian media workers were deployed to support
the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people.”
Belarusian state media when employees went on strike in
support of the protests. Military cooperation between
U.S. and EU Sanctions
Belarus and Russia has increased, including plans to
The United States and the EU have imposed sanctions in
establish joint military training centers.
response to state-sponsored violence, repression, and
election fraud in Belarus, as well as to the forced diversion
About half of Belarus’s merchandise trade is with Russia.
of Ryanair Flight 4978. As of June 25, 2021, the U.S.
In 2019, Russia began to reduce subsidies for Belarus’s
Department of the Treasury had designated 25 officials and
crude oil imports from Russia, leading to a decline in
9 entities for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)
Belarus’s revenues from its own refined oil exports.
13405 of June 16, 2006, which established sanctions on
Although the dispute was eventually resolved, Belarus
those who engage in human rights abuses, corruption, or the
began to seek alternative suppliers to supplement oil
undermining of democracy in Belarus . The State
imports from Russia.
Department also has imposed visa restrictions on at least
155 individuals. Sixteen Belarusians that the United States
The EU as a whole is Belarus’s second-largest trade
designated prior to 2020, including Lukashenko, remain
partner, with 20% of its merchandise trade in 2020. Less
subject to sanctions.
than 1% of Belarus’s total trade is with the United States.
Belarus’s main exports are mineral fuels (mainly refined oil
In addition, on April 19, 2021, the Treasury Department
products, 14%), potassium fertilizers (potash, 11%), dairy
announced the revocation (as of June 3, 2021) of a Belarus-
products (9%), and motor vehicles and parts (8%).
related general license that had authorized U.S. persons “to
engage in certain transactions with nine sanctioned
Relations with the United States and
Belarusian state-owned enterprises,” including a major
Europe
petrochemical company, Belneftekhim, and subsidiaries.
The United States, the EU, the Group of Seven (G7), and
others have condemned the crackdown in Belarus and the
In addition to new sanctions in response to the Ryanair
forced diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978. U.S. officials have
flight diversion, the Biden Administration said the
conveyed support for the Belarusian people’s “right to free
Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of
and fair elections” and have called on authorities to “engage
Investigation, is working on the matter and the United
in meaningful dialogue with the Coordination Council and
States is suspending application of a 2019 U.S.-Belarus Air
Belarusian civil society.” The European Council, composed
Services Agreement. In response, Belarusian authorities
of the leaders of EU member states, stated the EU does “not
said they would reduce the number of permitted staff at the
recognize the results” of the 2020 election.
U.S. Embassy in Belarus, tighten visa procedures, and
revoke permission for the U.S. Agency for International
The Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty
Development to work in the country.
Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260, Division FF, Title III) was
enacted in December 2020. The act amends the Belarus
As of June 25, 2021, the EU had imposed sanctions on 166
Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. §5811 note). Among
individuals and 15 entities in Belarus. The EU also has
other things, the act states it is the policy of the United
imposed sectoral sanctions that, among other restrictions,
States to reject the “invalid results” of the 2020 presidential
prohibit trade in petroleum products and potash, Belarus’s
elections. The Belarus Democracy Act of 2004, as
leading exports. The EU and other European states have
amended, grants the President authority to impose sanctions
prohibited Belarusian airline carriers from overflights of
on persons in Belarus for human rights abuses and for
their airspace and access to their airports. The EU Aviation
undermining democracy. In the 117th Congress, the House
Safety Agency has called on member states to restrict
of Representatives agreed to H.Res. 124, supporting the
flights through Belarusian airspace.
people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations.
Cory Welt, Specialist in Russian and European Affairs
IF10814
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Belarus: An Overview
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