Russia says "nuclear munitions" sent to Belarus for joint drills in the country that Moscow used as a launchpad for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Among those flown to safety was Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist jailed in Belarus since 2021 and long at the center of Polish diplomatic appeals. Poczobut, who was awarded the EU's Sakharov Prize while still behind bars, appeared thin and in need of medical care when he arrived in Poland, according to The Washington Post.

Poland's military guards its Belarus border against what officials call a Russian-backed hybrid warfare campaign using migrants to destabilize NATO.

EADaily, May 21st, 2026. The injury of a citizen of Belarus makes us seriously doubt the level of security declared by the Polish side. This is stated in the official statement of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russian ally Belarus has staged simulated nuclear missile launches on NATO’s doorstep amid high tension with the West. In drills with Vladimir Putin’s forces, Iskander-M tactical missiles were delivered to field locations in a show of strength by the repressive states.

Belarus’ authoritarian leader on Friday greeted U.S. Rev. Franklin Graham, who arrived in the tightly controlled country to hold the largest evangelical Christian gathering in its history. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko asked Graham to convey warm greetings to President Donald Trump and tell him that he has “reliable friends and supporters in Belarus.

Poor turnout for an online election underscores the daunting challenges faced by the largely exiled Belarusian democratic opposition six years after a groundswell of popular protests raised hopes for change in a country ruled by authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko since 1994.

These measures include preemptive large-scale counterintelligence and counter-sabotage operations in Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Volyn, and Rivne Oblasts. SBU labelled these actions as unprecedented in terms of manpower and resources involved.