News
- By RFE/RL
Russia Ready To Send $500 Million Loan Tranche To Belarusian Government
Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka was in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi for a second day of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The talks on May 29 were described as informal by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the day before that the summit would last just one day.
Peskov also told journalists that Russia was prepared to send the second $500 million tranche of a $1.5 billion loan to Belarus "in the immediate future."
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Lukashenka has been under intense domestic and international pressure since a disputed presidential election in August 2020 that has been widely denounced as falsified. The election, which gave Lukashenka a sixth presidential term, prompted mass demonstrations and an often brutal crackdown by his government.
Russia has been Lukashenka's main ally throughout the events, providing political, technical, and financial support to the Belarusian government.
Earlier this month, Minsk scrambled a fighter jet to divert a Ryanair commercial passenger jet and force it to land in the Belarusian capital, citing a purported bomb threat.
Although no bomb was found, authorities in Minsk detained journalist Raman Pratasevich, a prominent opposition activist.
During the first day of the Sochi talks on May 28, Putin dismissed the Western reaction to the flight’s diversion as "an outburst of emotions."
With reporting by TASS
Turkmen Officials Ordered To Shave Heads After Death Of President's Father
Senior male Turkmen officials and managers of major private companies have been ordered to shave their heads and wear a traditional Turkmen skullcap as signs of mourning following the death last month of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's father.
Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov, a retired police lieutenant colonel who held positions in the Turkmen government during Soviet times, died on April 18 at the age of 88.
Women working in state agencies must wear mourning shawls trimmed in black, RFE/RL correspondents say.
The order lasts for 40 days.
Following his father's death, Berdymukhammedov did not appear in public for seven days, missing the celebration of National Horse Day on April 23. The president's son, Serdar, who serves as deputy prime minister, hosted the celebrations.
In more recent days, the president has appeared at official events in mourning garb and traveling in a black car, although he has previously ordered only the use of white cars in the country.
The government has reportedly been collecting money from state-sector works to pay for various commemorations.
Outgoing Envoy Allows That Bosnia's International Backers Maybe 'Changed Gears Too Quickly'
The outgoing European Union high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina has expressed regret that the international community "changed gears too quickly" in that Balkan state but expressed hope that a new German-led diplomatic offensive could soon help draw attention to Bosnia's plight.
Valentin Inzko announced his resignation on May 27 and is expected to be followed in the job by Germany's Christian Schmidt from August 1.
"Perhaps the international community made a mistake when it changed gears too quickly from what we had -- a robust, strong, international presence -- to domestic responsibility, domestic solutions," Inzko told RFE/RL's Balkan Service in an exclusive interview.
Bosnia, which comprises a Bosniak and Croat federation and the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska, is still governed under the 25-year-old Dayton peace agreements that helped cease ethnically fueled violence following the breakup of Yugoslavia.
The country faces an array of problems that arise from parallel structures of regional and executive power, as well as a major drive for independence by the leader of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik.
Inzko has served as the implementer of civilian safeguards set out in the cease-fire in Bosnia for 12 years.
He said he had hoped on his arrival that the "energy that ruled here for the first 10 or 12 years would be utilized."
"Of course, I expected faster progress," Inzko said.
Inzko came into the high-representative post with a mandate to wrap up its operations.
But lingering ethnic resentments including many built into its governance, centrifugal forces sometimes encouraged by neighboring states, and corruption and political paralysis have badly hampered the running of the country.
Inzko has publicly challenged a push in some quarters to shut down the Office of the High Representative (OHR) "as soon as possible."
Inzko told RFE/RL that "if a shutdown were good, I'd shut down the OHR tomorrow," but unfortunately "the international community, especially I personally, have seen it get worse and worse every year."
He cited Dodik's push for a referendum on Republika Srpska's possible secession from Bosnia.
"Mr. Dodik probably doesn't want a state," Inzko said, adding a list of complaints the Bosnian Serb leader has directed at the judiciary and the European security mission in Bosnia, EUFOR.
"He doesn't want positive things and he wants everything to be according to his taste and preference. It cannot [be], because there are international laws and conventions and Mr. Dodik must abide by them."
Inzko cited progress since the early years after the Dayton agreements, when Bosnia had no border force, no legitimate currency of its own, "nine ministries instead of three" to represent rival institutions, three flags, three anthems, and other issues.
He said the international community was present at the time "in a very robust way" that has since flagged.
"That phase needs to be refreshed, so that now this phase of Mr. Schmidt's is...a mix of the first and second phases," Inzko said.
"There will absolutely be a [diplomatic] offensive," Inzko predicted. "I think the offensive is already under way."
He cited Schmidt's talks with senior U.S., German, and EU officials, as well as conversations with regional leaders.
"[German Chancellor] Angela Merkel herself said that Bosnia-Herzegovina will now be more on the agenda at a higher level, to return [Bosnia] to the agenda," Inzko said.
But, he said, "there are conflicts that are much bigger, and some are older, but they are all bigger than Bosnia-Herzegovina" and "when people wake up in the morning in Washington or Berlin, Bosnia-Herzegovina is not in the foreground for them."
"This is why we much be grateful to Germany, Mr. Schmidt, for returning Bosnia-Herzegovina to the international agenda," Inzko said.
Bosnia is populated by about 3.8 million people -- about half of them Bosniaks, around 30 percent Serbs, and around 15 percent Croats.
Inzko said ongoing forces tugging at Bosnia's unity and disputes over certain sides' choices to elevate war criminals to hero status were evidence that "there are still people living in the past, who glorify the wrong people."
Based on an interview by Dzenana Halimovic
Dozens Of Russian Diplomats Leave Czech Republic Amid Strained Relations
MOSCOW -- Dozens of Russian diplomats and their families have left the Czech Republic after Prague ordered their expulsion in April.
A flight carrying 54 Russian Embassy employees and their families left Prague on May 29 for Moscow, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. In all, Prague has ordered 63 diplomats to leave the country.
The remaining Russian diplomats are expected to leave the Czech Republic on May 31.
It was the largest expulsion of diplomats in the history of relations between the two countries.
The diplomatic row began in April, when the Czech government accused Russian intelligence agents of carrying out two explosions at a military arms depot in the eastern part of the Czech Republic in October 2014. Two Czech citizens were killed in those explosions, which Prague says were aimed at destroying munitions that had been sold to Ukraine.
At the time, Prague ordered the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats, saying they had used their diplomatic status as a cover for intelligence work. Moscow responded by expelling 20 Czech diplomats.
On April 22, the two sides agreed that their diplomatic representations would be brought to strict parity, with each mission comprising seven diplomats and 25 technical employees.
By the end of May, the Czech Republic must dismiss 79 Russian citizens who have been working for the Czech diplomatic mission in Russia.
The Russian government on May 14 officially declared the Czech Republic and the United States to be "unfriendly" states.
Belavia Head Calls EU Response To Ryanair Diversion 'Despicable'
The head of Belarus's national air carrier has said the EU countries' imposition of airspace restrictions in response to Minsk's Ryanair diversion last week is "despicable," as fallout continues over what many regard as a "state hijacking" to nab a Belarusian dissident journalist.
Many of Belarus's neighbors and some other Western states have barred Belavia from overflights since the May 23 incident, in which a dubious bomb threat was cited in ordering a MiG 29 fighter jet to divert an Athens-to-Vilnius flight to Minsk.
Belavia director Ihar Charhinets said via Facebook that such moves exhibited "fascist perversity" and the gradual closure of air corridors showed "they are mocking us," according to TASS.
Belavia is wholly state-owned with about 30 aircraft and flew to nearly 60 destinations before the bans were announced.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades and is fighting for his political life amid unprecedented protests since a reelection claim in August, keeps a tight grip on all of the country's key industries.
The United States has already levied sanctions in response to the forced Ryanair diversion and has called Belarusian authorities' actions a "false pretense" to allow them to detain Raman Pratasevich, an opposition activist and journalist.
Charhinets accused European governments of hastiness for imposing restrictions before the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) could investigate fully.
"All this is happening before an investigation of the incident, for which there may be some guilty parties, but Belavia is definitely not among them," he wrote. "They punish innocent Belavia, without even beginning an investigation. It's despicable."
The ICAO has said Belarus's forced diversion could have violated international air-travel rules under the so-called Chicago Convention.
Many countries have also strongly advised airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace.
The European Union is still weighing its official responses, with a chorus of calls for toughening existing sanctions on Belarus and more, travel-specific strictures including banning Belavia from EU airports.
Based on reporting by Reuters
- By RFE/RL
White House Says Biden-Putin Summit To 'Move Forward' Despite Cyberattack
The White House has suggested that government agencies largely rebuffed the latest cyberassault on U.S. targets by suspected Russian intelligence operatives and downplayed adversarial tensions ahead of a summit next month between the U.S. and Russian presidents.
On May 27, Microsoft said hacking group Nobelium, originating from Russia, had launched an assault on government agencies and think tanks using an e-mail marketing account of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
AP quoted unnamed administration officials on May 28 as describing the attacks on USAID, think tanks, and other organizations as "basic phishing," in which e-mails are used to try to embed malware in computer systems.
Asked whether the hacking discovery would affect the Biden-Putin summit, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We're going to move forward with that."
U.S. President Joe Biden is slated to hold his first summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin since taking office in January in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters this week that Moscow did not have any detailed information from Microsoft on the attack and that it so far was not a topic on the summit agenda.
The "wave of attacks" targeted about 3,000 e-mail accounts at more than 150 different organizations, Microsoft Vice President Tom Burt said in a blog post.
Burt said Russian-based Nobelium was the same actor that was behind a major attack last year on SolarWinds customers, including U.S. government bodies.
The SolarWinds attack compromised at least nine government agencies and hundreds of private companies, and was functioning from 2019 before being detected late last year.
This latest effort appeared to have been less stealthy, experts have said.
At least one-quarter of the organizations targeted in the latest cyberattack are involved in international development, humanitarian, and human rights work, and the targeted victims are in at least 24 countries, Burt said without saying whether any of the attempts led to successful intrusions.
Most appeared to have been blocked by spam guards, Microsoft said on May 28, adding that it was "not seeing evidence of any significant number of compromised organizations at this time."
A USAID spokesperson said that agency was still investigating the possible intrusion.
The Biden administration's proposed $6 trillion budget includes $750 million to boost cyberdefenses at nine government agencies hit by the SolarWinds hack that was blamed by U.S. and British officials on Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
The SolarWinds hack gave the perpetrators access to thousands of companies and government offices that used that company's software.
This month, Russia's spy chief denied responsibility for the SolarWinds cyberattack but said he was "flattered" by the accusations that Russian foreign intelligence was behind such a sophisticated hack.
With reporting by AP
Indonesia Frees Iranian Tanker Four Months After Seizure
Officials from both countries say Indonesian authorities have released an Iranian-flagged tanker seized four months ago over the suspected illegal transfer of oil.
The May 28 move reportedly followed an Indonesian court ruling earlier in the week that the vessel, the MT Horse, could be released and its captain put under a two-year probation without a fine.
A spokesman for the Indonesian coast guard, Wisnu Pramandita, announced the release.
Iran has been accused of disguising the destination of its oil transfers since the United States reimposed harsh sanctions on its exports after Washington withdrew from a major nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers in 2018.
Jakarta said after it seized the MT Horse in late January that it suspected the tanker of an illegal transfer in Indonesian waters.
Iranian officials described the issue as "technical."
The MT Horse last year reportedly delivered more than 2 million barrels of condensate, a mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons similar to a light crude oil, to Venezuela, which is also a target of U.S. trade sanctions.
U.S. and Iranian officials are currently engaged in indirect talks, along with other signatories, to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action, which placed checks on Iran's disputed nuclear program in exchange for relief from U.S. and other international sanctions.
Based on reporting by Reuters
NATO Chief Says 'Hard To Believe' No Russian Coordination On Ryanair Diversion
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he thinks it is likely that Belarusian authorities organized the diversion last week of an Irish airliner to Minsk with ally Russia.
The military alliance leader was speaking to Sky News on May 28 aboard a British aircraft carrier during NATO's largest military exercises of the year.
"We know the very close relationship between Russia and Belarus, and therefore it's hard to believe that the regime in Minsk could do something like this without any kind of coordination with Russia," Stoltenberg said.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka has relied heavily on Moscow's support since a fiercely disputed reelection bid in August 2020 that sparked massive public protests and a fierce crackdown on dissent.
A Ryanair flight was diverted during a flight between Greece and Lithuania on May 23 after Lukashenka ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to accompany the aircraft because Belarusian authorities said they had received information there was a bomb aboard the plane.
No bomb was found when the aircraft was searched on the ground in Minsk, but Lukashenka critic and journalist Raman Pratasevich and a Russian friend aboard the flight were detained.
The United States and others believe the incident was staged as a "false pretense" to snatch Pratasevich.
Many governments and rights groups have demanded Pratasevich's release, and Belarusian opposition leaders have expressed fears for his life.
Lukashenka met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 28, where the Russian leader described international reaction to the airliner's diversion as an "outburst of emotions."
Washington has imposed fresh Belarusian sanctions and is coordinating with the European Union and other partners to impose other penalties on Minsk.
Many governments have advised their airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace.
EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell warned on May 28 there was a risk of an escalation after Moscow denied access to two European carriers that skirted Belarus en route to Moscow.
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
- By RFE/RL
European Alliance To Suspend Belarus's State Broadcaster Over 'Exceptional Concerns'
The executive board of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has voted to suspend Belarus's national broadcaster over "serious and quite exceptional concerns" that threaten freedom of expression and other "core values."
The alliance of public-service media said on May 28 that it had been "closely monitoring the suppression of media freedom in Belarus" and Belteleradio's (BTRC) actions amid the crackdown on dissent since Alyaksandr Lukashenka's disputed claim of reelection in August.
"In light of these exceptional developments, the Executive Board has no alternative other than to propose the suspension of BTRC's membership of the EBU," it said.
Belteleradio has two weeks to respond before the suspension comes into effect, the EBU said.
The group cited "particular alarm" at the recent "broadcast of interviews apparently obtained under duress."
That was possibly a reference to the broadcast this week of separate videos showing a detained Belarusian journalist, Raman Pratasevich, and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega.
Both were seized by Belarusian authorities on May 23 after the forced diversion of their Ryanair flight between Athens and Vilnius by a Belarusian fighter jet in what has been widely condemned as a "state hijacking."
"The EBU has been closely monitoring the suppression of media freedom in Belarus and have consistently called on BTRC, as a member of the EBU, to uphold our core values of freedom of expression, independence, and accountability," the alliance said in a statement.
"Since the disputed elections last summer, we have been campaigning for the protection of independent journalism and freedom of expression in the country," it said.
"We have publicly supported journalists at BTRC who have been protesting against government interference. We have also been monitoring BTRC's coverage and have communicated our concerns to their management."
The EBU is an alliance of public-service media organizations, with more than 100 member organizations operating nearly 2,000 television, radio, and online networks in 56 countries in Europe and beyond.
In March, it excluded Belarus from the Eurovision Song Contest for failing to submit an entry that complied with the nonpolitical nature of the competition.
Minsk denounced that Eurovision decision as "politically motivated."
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
- By RFE/RL
Russian Diplomat Says Hundreds Of Soldiers Heading To C.A.R. Are Instructors
The Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations has described hundreds of Russian soldiers due to be sent to the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) this month as "unarmed instructors."
Dmitry Polyansky told reporters at UN headquarters in New York on May 28 that the soldiers "are not armed because they are not supposed to be armed. They are instructors."
Polyansky said he did not know if the soldiers had already arrived in the C.A.R. He added that they "might deal with some armaments when they instruct people but they are not supposed to fight."
Moscow has maintained a contingent of soldiers since 2018 in the C.A.R. to train the country's army.
Prior to the latest contingent, Moscow acknowledged the presence of 535 Russian instructors under contract with the Central African Defense Ministry.
The C.A.R. notified the UN Security Council on May 4 that it intended to welcome 600 additional instructors. It is obliged to give 20 days' notice under the latest arms embargo on the country.
Numerous witnesses and NGOs say the instructors are in fact paramilitaries from the Vagner Group, a Russian military contractor with indirect ties to the country's political elite, who are actively participating alongside Rwandan special forces and UN peacekeepers in the fight against rebels trying to seize power.
Russia has denied Vagner mercenaries are in the African country, saying only that military instructors had been sent to train government soldiers.
The country of 4.7 million has been gripped by civil war since a coalition of armed groups overthrew the government in 2013. About a quarter of its 5 million people are displaced.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN undersecretary for peace operations, said UN peacekeepers had encountered difficulties with the C.A.R.'s military and its partners but gave no further information.
"It is essential to have a certain consultation, a coordination," he said, adding that he would visit the C.A.R. next week.
Russia has significantly increased its presence and influence in the C.A.R., where Russian national Valery Zakharov serves as national security adviser to President Faustin Archange Touadera, who was sworn in for a second five-year term on March 30 after winning an election in December.
Bangui has also granted Central African gold and diamond mining permits to Russian companies suspected of having links to Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the man believed to be the head of the Vagner Group.
With reporting by AFP
Belarusians Protest Across Europe In 'Day Of Solidarity' Against Lukashenka
Protests were held in several European capitals on May 29 as part of a global day of solidarity with the Belarus opposition called by exiled opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Protesters in Warsaw were joined by the parents of Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich, who was forcibly detained in Minsk last week together with his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, after a commercial jet that they were traveling in was diverted and forced to land in the Belarusian capital.
"I'm calling on all EU countries and the United States to please help us free Raman and Sofia, as well as everyone else who has been imprisoned,” Pratasevich's mother, Natallya, told the crowd of several hundred.
The demonstrators shouted slogans against longtime Belarus strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka and waved the red and white flag of the Belarusian opposition.
Tsikanouskaya attended a similar demonstration in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.
"We are here today to express our determination to continue the struggle for freedom. We will not back down," she told the crowd of about 150 people.
About 100 people, mostly Belarusians, protested in the Ukrainian capital.
"A North Korea is being built step by step," protester Syarhey Bulba said at the May 29 protest.
The day of solidarity was held to mark the first anniversary of the arrest of Tsikhanouskaya's husband. Syarhey Tsikhanouski, a popular blogger, who had planned to run against Lukashenka in the country’s August 2020 presidential election.
Protesters in Kyiv used their shoes to strike a portrait of Lukashenka as a tribute to Tsikhanouski's slogan, "Smash the cockroach."
Earlier, Tsikhanouskaya called for a global day of solidarity with Belarus to mark the anniversary.
She urged people to join a "global rally" on the day that marks the first anniversary of the start of nonviolent protests in Belarus and "the harshest repressions in our modern history."
Tsikhanouskaya, who ran for president in her husband's place and became the main opposition candidate, said politicians and the Belarusian diaspora would participate in the global rally on May 29.
"But the main thing is for Belarusians to support each other on this day in the country -- by all possible means: street rallies, symbols, letters to political prisoners," Tsikhanouskaya said on Telegram.
She urged people everywhere to hold demonstrations, join virtual events, sign petitions, write letters to political prisoners in Belarus, post on social media, and light up the facades of buildings in red and white, the colors of the Belarusian opposition.
"It's very important to send a clear signal of support to brave Belarusian people fighting for freedom, but also to urge the dictatorial regime to end violence, stop torture, release all political prisoners, and conduct a new free and fair presidential election," Tsikhanouskaya said in a statement issued by her office.
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Belarus has been in political turmoil since authoritarian leader Lukashenka claimed victory in the August election, which the opposition claimed was rigged in his favor.
Authorities in the country have responded to anti-government demonstrations with a violent crackdown, detaining tens of thousands of protesters. Hundreds have been tortured, according to human rights groups, and several protesters have died as a result of police actions.
Lukashenka faces mounting pressure and new sanctions over the diversion on May 23 of a commercial flight and the arrest of Pratasevich and his girlfriend, who were taken off the flight after it landed in Minsk.
European Union foreign ministers are discussing possible economic sanctions, and the United States on May 28 said it would reimpose sanctions on nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises on June 3.
The United States is also coordinating with the EU and other partners to develop a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government "associated with ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Reimposes Sanctions On Belarusian State Firms Over Diversion Of Plane, Arrest Of Journalist
The United States will impose more sanctions on Belarus after the diversion of a commercial flight to Minsk and the arrest of a journalist on board.
The moves include reimposing full sanctions against nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises on June 3, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on May 28 in a statement outlining the measures.
"We take these measures, together with our partners and allies, to hold the regime accountable for its actions and to demonstrate our commitment to the aspirations of the people of Belarus," Psaki said.
The United States is also coordinating with the EU and other partners to develop a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government "associated with ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23," Psaki said.
Belarus's forced diversion of the Ryanair flight on May 23 was done "under false pretenses," she said, adding that the flight, which was traveling between two member states of the European Union, and the subsequent removal and arrest of Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich "are a direct affront to international norms."
The nine state-owned Belarusian enterprises that will be hit with sanctions effective June 3 had previously been granted relief under a series of general licenses by the Treasury Department.
As a result of the move, U.S. persons will be prohibited from engaging in transactions with these entities, their property, or their interests in property, Psaki said.
In addition, the State Department has issued a warning to U.S. citizens urging them not to travel to Belarus, and the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a notice warning U.S. airlines to exercise extreme caution when considering flying in Belarusian airspace.
The Ryanair flight was diverted after authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to accompany the aircraft because Belarusian authorities had received information there was a bomb on board the plane. No bomb was found when the aircraft was searched on the ground in Minsk.
Psaki said the diversion of the flight took place amid an escalating wave of repression by the Lukashenka regime "against the aspirations of the people of Belarus for democracy and human rights."
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
She called on the government to allow a "credible international investigation" into the diversion of the flight, to immediately release all political prisoners, and to enter into a "genuine political dialogue with the leaders of the democratic opposition and civil society groups that leads to the conduct of free and fair presidential elections under OSCE auspices and monitoring."
She said the United States will continue to advocate for action against the Lukashenka regime for its "affront to international norms and undermining of democracy and human rights," she said.
Lukashenka, who met in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 28, said the reaction by Western countries to the incident had been an "outburst of emotions."
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Iran's Rohani Congratulates Assad On Syria Election Victory
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has congratulated Syria's Bashar al-Assad on winning a fourth seven-year presidential term in an election dismissed as a sham by the opposition and Western governments, according to an Iranian presidential website.
"I sincerely congratulate you on the successful conduct of the elections and your reelection as president of the Syrian Arab Republic," Rohani said in a statement to Iran's close ally Assad.
"The Syrian people took an important step in deciding the fate and prosperity of Syria with their large turnout and decisive choice," Rohani added, according to his website.
Assad won the election on May 27 with a majority of 95 percent.
The election was the second presidential vote since the country's conflict began 10 years ago to challenge Assad's authority following his takeover from his father in 2000, and featured no independent monitors.
Assad ran against two little-known figures for Syria's top post, which has been held by a member of the Assad family for five decades.
No vote was held in northeastern Syria, which is controlled by U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters, or in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country.
The Syrian civil war broke out in 2011 when anti-Assad protests turned into an armed insurgency in response to a brutal military crackdown.
The fighting has left nearly half a million dead and half the country's population displaced, including more than 5 million refugees outside Syria.
With the help of Russia and Iran, Assad has crushed the insurgency and regained control over 70 percent of territory.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By RFE/RL
British PM Johnson Meets Hungarian Counterpart Amid Criticism
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on May 28 amid criticism for inviting the hard-line Central European leader to 10 Downing Street.
Johnson’s office said in a statement that the two leaders discussed security and climate change among other topics, adding that the British premier raised the issue of human rights with Orban.
The Hungarian prime minister, who has been in power since 2010, is an anti-immigration right-wing populist who described Muslim migrants as invaders who threaten Europe’s Christian cultural identity.
Hungary is a European Union and NATO member, but Orban has repeatedly come into conflict with Brussels for clamping down on media and judicial freedom and has been accused of condoning cronyism and corruption among his inner circle.
He's also maintained close ties with President Vladimir Putin's Russia and with China, and has twice blocked the EU from issuing statements condemning Beijing for actions in Hong Kong.
Orban has previously praised Johnson for taking Britain out of the bloc.
Opposition Labour Party foreign-affairs spokeswoman Lisa Nandy said Johnson should challenge Orban’s “repeated attempts to undermine democratic values.”
“Anything less than a robust rejection of these acts is tantamount to rolling out the red carpet,” she said.
Downing Street said Johnson “raised his significant concerns about human rights in Hungary, including gender equality, LGBT rights, and media freedom.”
“The leaders also discussed a number of foreign-policy issues including Russia, Belarus, and China," Downing Street said. "The prime minister encouraged Hungary to use their influence to promote democracy and stability.”
Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Camped Out In War-Damaged Bosnian Villages, Afghan Migrants Make Repeat Runs For EU Border
Thousands of people are camped out in the ruins of largely abandoned Bosnian villages ravaged by war in the 1990s. From there, they try to cross the border into EU member Croatia. Many of them are Afghans who, despite being turned back dozens of times, are determined to keep trying.
Lithuania Expelling Two Belarusian Diplomats Amid Uproar Over Plane Arrests
Lithuania says it is expelling two Belarusian diplomats accused of conducting activities "incompatible with their diplomatic status" amid international outrage over Belarus’s forced landing of a Vilnius-bound passenger flight in Minsk and the detention of a dissident journalist.
The two members of staff at the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius were given seven days to leave the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on May 28.
Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the decision was also “an expression of solidarity” with Latvia, which saw its entire embassy staff expelled from Belarus.
Minsk’s move was in response to Latvian authorities earlier this week removing the Belarusian flag from a display at the hockey world championships in Riga and replacing it with a flag used by the Belarusian opposition movement.
Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
A Belarusian fighter jet intercepted a Ryanair flight on its way to the Lithuanian capital from Athens on May 23 and forced it to land in Minsk. Journalist and opposition activist Raman Pratasevich was arrested along with his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was traveling with him.
The European Union is discussing possible economic sanctions against Belarus in response to the diversion of the plane and the arrests.
Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his allies have been under Western sanctions over a brutal crackdown on mass protests that followed his disputed reelection to a sixth term in August 2020.
In its statement, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said it had informed a representative of the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius of the decision to expel the two diplomats, and protested the “ongoing repression of civil society and independent media” in Belarus.
The ministry demanded the immediate release of Pratasevich, Sapega, and “other political prisoners and illegally detained persons.”
EU Earmarking Billions In Aid For Belarus, Once Democracy Takes Root
The European Union is aiming to provide at least 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion) to Belarus once the country starts on a democratic path with a focus on rule of law and justice reform, restructuring state-owned enterprises, and spending on infrastructure, according to a proposal seen by RFE/RL.
The leaked draft -- titled Outline Of The Proposed Comprehensive Plan Of Economic Support To Democratic Belarus -- is likely to be presented on May 28 and states that "once Belarus embarks on a democratic path, the EU will ensure as a priority to offer immediate and longer-term support to Belarus to help it stabilize its economy [and] reform its institutions to make them more democratic and able to contribute to delivering benefits for citizens and society as a whole."
The plan was first proposed in autumn 2020 after a disputed presidential election in which authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed a landslide victory and subsequently cracked down violently on countrywide protests.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to speed up work on the proposal after a Belarusian fighter jet intercepted a Ryanair passenger flight on May 23 and forced it to land in Minsk, where journalist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, a Russian national, were taken off the flight and detained.
In parallel to the outline, the bloc is also working on more individual sanctions on people and companies close to the regime, as well as wider sectoral economic sanctions, which could be ready in June.
The plan in the outline consists of three pillars:
- The first focuses on the economic recovery of Belarus, with the document stating that EU macro-financial assistance "will help restore macro-economic stability and strengthen its precarious fiscal situation." It also states that Brussels will host a high-level EU-Belarus investment forum bringing together key European investors and also organize a high-level EU donor meeting to mobilize additional EU grant resources.
- The second pillar focuses on the restructuring of state-owned enterprises such as banks, the improvement of property rights, the reform of public administration, and the introduction of the rule of law and judicial reform.
- The third pillar offers other concrete investments in specific sectors, such as direct support to 20,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, improved transport connectivity and trade at EU-Belarusian borders, the building of an IT school in Minsk, and spending to boost energy efficiency and waste management.
The 3 billion-euro plan will be discussed by EU member states in the council in the coming weeks.
Five Former Moscow Police Officers Jailed Over 2019 Arrest Of Journalist Golunov
A Russian court has sentenced five former police officers to several years in prison for the 2019 arrest of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov on trumped-up drug charges.
The Moscow City Court on May 28 handed down prison terms ranging between five years and 12 years after finding the men guilty of the charges following a closed-door trial.
They were also ordered to pay Golunov 1 million rubles ($13,600) each in compensation.
The 38-year-old Golunov, who works for the Latvia-based information outlet Meduza, was arrested in June 2019 in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell illegal drugs.
He was released several days later after the charges were dropped following a public outcry. The journalist suffered bruises, cuts, a concussion, and a broken rib during the ordeal.
The police officers who detained Golunov were taken into custody in January 2020 and later charged with abuse of service duties, the falsification of evidence, the illegal handling of drugs, and “committing a crime in an organized group.”
Prosecutors had asked the Moscow City Court to hand down prison terms ranging between seven and 16 years.
Four of the defendants pleaded not guilty.
The head of the Moscow police department's drug control directorate and the police chief in Moscow's West administrative region were fired over the case.
In a rare move, the Prosecutor's Office of Moscow's Western District apologized to Golunov in February 2020 for his illegal prosecution.
- By RFE/RL
Russian Authorities Tell Airlines To Expect Delays Due To Belarusian Airspace Ban
Russia's state air transport agency says changes to routes from Europe to Russia as a result of the dispute between the West and Belarus over the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight to Minsk may result in longer clearance times.
Rosaviatsiya said in a statement on May 28 that it had informed airlines to expect delays after Russia denied access to two European carriers that amended flight plans to skirt Belarus en route to Moscow.
EU leaders have asked European carriers to avoid Belarusian airspace after the incident on May 23. A Belarusian dissident journalist was arrested upon arrival, triggering international outrage.
The European airspace ban has forced Belarus's flagship carrier Belavia to lay off some employees and cancel flights to at least seven European countries and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to discuss the unfolding crisis with Belarus's strongman leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, in the Russian resort of Sochi on May 28.
Speaking on May 28 in Lisbon, where European Union foreign ministers are discussing possible economic sanctions against Belarus in response to the diversion of the Ryanair plane, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned there was a risk of an escalation in the crisis after Moscow denied access to Air France and Austrian Airlines flights.
"It was a big disturbance for air traffic, but we still don't know if these are specific cases or if it is a general move by the Russian authorities," Borrell told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said the cancellations of European flights to Moscow were due to “technical reasons,” adding that the measures were taken to ensure aviation safety.
"The aviation authorities are working hard these days. Indeed, the situation is out of the ordinary. Of course, we would prefer that such situations did not arise," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova struck a harsher tone, accusing Western countries in a Facebook post of being “completely irresponsible” and endangering passengers by banning flights over Belarus.
Air France said it had canceled two flights from Paris to Moscow this week after Russia rejected a flight plan that would have skipped Belarusian airspace.
Austrian Airlines said on May 27 that it had canceled a Vienna-Moscow flight after Russia failed to approve a new flight plan that also avoided Belarusian airspace.
The TASS news agency reported that an Austrian Airlines flight on May 28 was given approval to fly to Moscow while avoiding Belarusian airspace, while others had been given permission to fly the route a day earlier.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS
- By RFE/RL
Senior Russian Official Says No Talks Taking Place On Prisoner Swap With U.S.
A senior Russian officials says Moscow is not in talks with Washington over a possible prisoner swap involving Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine jailed in Russia for spying.
The 50-year-old Whelan was sentenced by a court in Moscow in May 2020 to 16 years in prison for espionage which he, his supporters, and the U.S. government have condemned as a "mockery of justice.”
Some analysts believe Moscow is looking to use the American prisoners in a swap for Russians being held in the United States and that the subject may come up at a summit next month between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
"Such discussions are not being conducted, and we do not intend to conduct them," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on May 28.
Reports have surfaced several times of a possible swap involving Whelan and two Russians -- arms dealer Viktor Bout and drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko -- who are serving lengthy sentences in U.S. prisons.
The United States has demanded Whelan's immediate release, calling his treatment and conviction "appalling."
Whelan, who has rejected the espionage charges and insists he had come to Russia to attend a wedding, says he was framed when he took a memory stick from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos. Russia says it contained classified information.
He is serving his sentence at Correctional Colony No. 17 in the region of Mordovia, some 350 kilometers east of Moscow, a region historically known as the location of some of Russia's toughest prisons, including Soviet-era labor camps for political prisoners.
Another former U.S. Marine, Trevor Reed, has also been mentioned as a possible prisoner in Russia who could be part of a swap. Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia in July 2020 for assaulting police, a charge he has rejected.
Earlier this week, Reed's family said their son had tested positive for COVID-19 after Russian prison officials denied a U.S. Embassy request to vaccinate him.
With reporting by RIA Novosti
- By RFE/RL
Russia Deplores U.S. Decision Not To Rejoin Open Skies Treaty
Russia says Washington's decision not to rejoin an arms control deal that has allowed unarmed aerial flights over dozens of participating countries clouds the outlook for arms control discussions during next month’s planned summit between the presidents of the two countries.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made the comments on May 28, a day after Washington informed Moscow that it would not rejoin the Open Skies Treaty, with the State Department saying the accord "has been undermined by Russia's violations" and its failure to return to compliance.
Russia, which denies the allegations, is also expected to withdraw from the arms control and verification agreement this year.
"We can only express regret here," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that the pact would "lose much of its viability" without the participation of Russia and the United States.
The Open Skies Treaty came into force in 2002, allowing short-notice flights to monitor military activity. More than 30 nations participate in it.
Washington withdrew from the treaty in November, under Donald Trump's presidency, saying Moscow had continuously violated it.
"In concluding its review of the treaty, the United States therefore does not intend to seek to rejoin it, given Russia’s failure to take any actions to return to compliance. Further, Russia’s behavior, including its recent actions with respect to Ukraine, is not that of a partner committed to confidence-building," the State Department said in announcing its decision.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had been reviewing the possibility of rejoining the treaty, but the notification to Russia on May 27, which Ryabkov said dealt “one more blow to the European security system," suggests the agreement is now all but dead.
"It certainly does not make us happy. It is disappointing because the U.S. has missed another chance...to make a positive contribution to the task of strengthening security in Europe," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.
Amid escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow, Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are preparing a bilateral summit in Geneva on June 16, in what would be their first meeting since the U.S. president took office in January.
In response to the U.S. pullout from the Open Skies Treaty last year, Moscow said it planned to withdraw and the lower house of Russia’s parliament voted to abandon the accord earlier this month.
The upper house is expected to approve the withdrawal bill in June. Once Putin signs the measure, it would take six months for the Russian exit to take effect.
U.S. allies in Europe have supported maintaining the treaty, which allows nations to collect information on one another’s military forces in order to increase transparency and build mutual confidence about intentions.
In order to stay in the agreement, Russia had unsuccessfully sought assurances that NATO members would not hand over data collected during observation flights over Russia to the United States.
In February, Russia and the United States formally extended the New START treaty -- the last remaining arms control pact between Washington and Moscow -- for another five years, just days before it was set to expire.
With reporting by Reuters, RIA Novosti, and TASS
Former German Minister Chosen As New International Envoy To Bosnia-Herzegovina
Christian Schmidt, a former minister in the German government, has been appointed as the new international high representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the office that oversees the implementation of the 1995 Dayton peace accords.
Schmidt will take over the position on August 1 following the resignation of Valentin Inzko of Austria, who stepped down on May 27 after holding the post for 12 years.
"It is an honor and a commitment to work closely with the international community for the future of the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina," Schmidt said in a statement.
Schmidt has been involved with the Western Balkans and Bosnia as a foreign and defense spokesman for Germany's governing conservatives.
The choice of a new representative was made by the steering board of the Peace Implementation Council, which is comprised of ambassadors from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain, the United States, the European Union, the European Commission, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, represented by Turkey.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington appreciated Inzko's service and congratulated Schmidt on his appointment as it "looks forward to continued partnership to support the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords."
The so-called "Bonn Powers" give the high representative for Bosnia -- whose office was created in 1995 after the signing of the Dayton peace agreements that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War -- authority to dismiss politicians, push through laws, and veto others.
The high representative's powers have come under criticism from Bosnian Serbs for not offering the possibility of appealing his decisions, which have immediate effect. The Office of the High Representative has dismissed scores of officials, including judges, civil servants, and members of parliament since its inception.
Russia, which has long backed the autonomous Bosnian Serb region, disagreed with the appointment of Schmidt. It has long requested the post be abolished.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By RFE/RL
Belarus Stripped As Host Of European Cycling Competition
Belarus has been stripped of hosting next month's European track cycling championships amid international outrage over the diversion of a passenger jet and the arrest of a journalist and his girlfriend who were taken off the flight after it landed in Minsk.
The European Cycling Union said in a statement on May 27 that in light of the “current international situation,” the organization’s management board “decided to cancel the 2021 Elite Track European Championships scheduled in Minsk (Belarus) from 23 to 27 June 2021.”
Enrico Della Casa, president of the European Cycling Union, said the organization has been monitoring the situation, “which has now developed into an international debate.” The decision to cancel the event in Minsk was made during a management board meeting on May 27, he said.
The organization is now working to find an alternative solution to enable riders from 50 countries to compete, he said.
Lithuania's government made an offer to host the event, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Twitter.
The European Cycling Union replied by saying it would be "delighted to develop your proposition.”
European Union leaders expressed outrage after the Ryanair commercial flight was diverted on May 23.
EU officials and several Western governments have condemned the incident as the state-sponsored hijacking of a commercial flight. European Union foreign ministers are debating possible targets for new economic sanctions against authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has led a crackdown on dissent in the country since a disputed presidential election last August.
Belarus has been in political turmoil since Lukashenka claimed a landslide victory in the election, which the opposition claimed was rigged in his favor.
The cycling organization’s decision not to hold its event in Minsk comes after a similar move by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It decided in January to strip Minsk of the right to co-host the 2021 World Championship with Riga and made the Latvian capital the sole host.
The IIHF cited safety and security issues "beyond its control" amid mounting pressure from European countries and sponsors for Belarus to be stripped of its role as co-host.
With reporting by AP
Azerbaijan Claims Soldier Wounded In Armenia Shelling, Yerevan Denies
Azerbaijan says one of its soldiers was wounded after Armenian forces opened fire along the two South Caucasus neighbors' border, an accusation Yerevan rejects.
The sides have blamed each other for a number of recent border incidents, heightening regional tensions following last year's war over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement on May 28 that its positions in the Babek district of the country’s Naxcivan exclave on the border with Armenia and Turkey "came under fire from Armenian armed forces" overnight.
A serviceman was wounded in the shoulder and brought to hospital for treatment, the ministry said in a statement.
Armenia's Defense Ministry called the allegations a “blatant lie,” insisting that Armenian forces “did not open fire in the direction of Nakhichevan.”
The previous day, six Armenian soldiers were detained by Azerbaijan along an area recaptured by Baku last year, prompting calls from Washington for the two neighbors to "urgently and peacefully" resolve the issue.
Yerevan and Baku earlier this week blamed each other for border shoot-outs that Armenia said claimed the life of one of its soldiers.
Armenia had previously accused Azerbaijani troops of crossing several kilometers into its Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces and trying to stake a claim to territory. Azerbaijan insisted that its troops simply took up positions on the Azerbaijani side of the frontier that were not accessible during the winter months.
The fresh eruption of tensions comes months after the two countries ended a six-week war over Nagorno-Karabakh that claimed at least 6,900 lives. The conflict ended in November 2020 with a Moscow-brokered cease-fire that saw Armenia ceding swaths of territory that ethnic Armenians had controlled for decades. The truce is being monitored by some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since the early 1990s.
The ongoing escalation between Yerevan and Baku comes ahead of Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections on June 20.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian stepped down on May 27 after only six months in office, without giving a reason.
Ayvazian appeared to have tendered his resignation immediately after taking part in an emergency meeting of Armenia’s Security Council, which discussed mounting tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Speaking at the meeting, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian called for the deployment of international observers along contested portions of the frontier where Armenian and Azerbaijani troops have been facing off for the last two weeks. It was not immediately clear if Ayvazian agreed with Pashinian’s proposal.
The Yerevan newspaper Hraparak reported on May 21 that Ayvazian disagreed with Pashinian over a draft trilateral agreement with Azerbaijan and Russia to set up a joint committee to demarcate the border between the two South Caucasus neighbors.
Pashinian appointed Ayvazian as foreign minister on November 18 as part of a cabinet reshuffle that followed Armenia’s defeat in a war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Report: Prosecutors Investigating Whether Ukrainians Interfered In 2020 U.S. Election
U.S. prosecutors are investigating whether Ukrainian officials interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, The New York Times reported on May 27.
The criminal investigation includes examining whether Ukrainian officials used Rudolph Giuliani, personal lawyer to then-President Donald Trump, to spread misleading claims about President Joe Biden during the campaign, The New York Times reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
The inquiry, which began during the final months of the Trump administration, is separate from an ongoing criminal investigation into Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine.
Prosecutors are probing whether Ukrainian officials tried to influence the election by spreading claims of corruption about Biden through a number of channels, including Giuliani, the newspaper reported.
Giuliani, who has not been accused of wrongdoing in this investigation, has previously denied representing any Ukrainians.
One of the officials being investigated is Ukrainian parliamentarian Andriy Derkach, the newspaper reported.
The U.S. Treasury Department in September sanctioned Derkach for interfering in the U.S. election, accusing him of being a Russian agent.
Derkach published what he claimed was comprising information on Biden and his son, Hunter, in the months leading up to the November election in an attempt to help Trump’s chances to stay in office.
The Treasury Department in January also sanctioned seven individuals and four entities it claimed were associated with Derkach’s influence operation.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and Arthur Aidala, a lawyer for Giuliani, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
Giuliani's business dealings with Ukrainian oligarchs while he was working as Trump's lawyer are the subject of a separate probe by federal prosecutors in New York City. The former mayor of the city has previously called that investigation “pure political persecution.”
Based on reporting by Reuters and The New York Times
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
'The Best' For Putin: How The Kremlin Stands To Gain From Iran's Attack On Israel
2Explainer: The 'Kamikaze' Drones Iran Used To Attack Israel
3Iran's Unprecedented But Choreographed Attack On Israel Underlines Tehran's Limits
4Wider Europe Briefing: Kosovo Could Finally Get In The Council Of Europe
5Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine
6At Least 17 Dead In Ukraine As Zelenskiy Laments Lack Of Air Defenses
7Israel Reportedly Hits Iran With Retaliatory Air Attack
8Ukraine Will Become NATO Member, Predicts Former Deputy Secretary-General
9Armenia, Azerbaijan To Clash At UN Top Court
10John Bolton Says Strong Israeli Response To Iran Attack Would Be Justified
Subscribe
