US, Europe expand sanctions on Belarus over ‘migrant smuggling’ – WION

The United States, Canada, and European allies expanded sanctions on Belarus placing restrictions on government officials and entities for human rights abuses and official support for “migrant smuggling.”

Russia will act if Nato countries cross Ukraine ‘red lines’, Putin says

Deployment of weapons or troops in Ukraine by Nato would trigger strong response, Russian president says Vladimir Putin has warned Nato countries that deploying weapons or soldiers to Ukraine would cross a “red line” for Russia and trigger a strong response, including a potential deployment of Russian missiles targeting Europe. Nato countries have warned Putin

What is behind Russia’s build-up of troops behind the Ukrainian border? – DW News

“We’re the ones that keep other people awake at night”: That’s the impact US Marine Corps Brigadier General Simon Doran hopes this massive show of NATO power has on Russian military planners plotting their next moves. Doran is the senior American representative serving with the UK’s Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21), the largest fifth-generation carrier

‘Go through. Go,’ Lukashenko tells migrants at Polish border

Lukashenko says he won’t force migrants to return home Two flights with returning migrants arrive in Iraq Two more flights planned on Nov. 26-27 Poland reports detention centre unrest Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko told migrants stranded at the border with Poland on Friday that his country would help them to return home if they wanted

Belarus’ oldest newspaper is banned as extremist

Belarus’ oldest newspaper was banned on the 115th anniversary of its founding Tuesday, the latest move in the government’s relentless crackdown on independent media in the ex-Soviet nation. The Nasha Niva newspaper was outlawed as extremist by the Central District court in Minsk, which acted upon the request of the Ministry of Information. The ruling

NATO monitors Ukraine border for signs of Russian invasion – DW News

Aerial images shared by the United States have sparked concerns of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. In recent weeks evidence has emerged of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops building up on Russia’s western border. Ukraine says that Moscow is preparing a sea and ground attack from Russian-annexed Crimea and the Donbass region. Kyiv has

Germany refuses to take in stranded migrants after calls from Minsk – DW

Germany has rejected calls from Minsk for the European Union to take in migrants stranded at the Belarus-Poland border. EU member states have also made it clear they won’t be blackmailed by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. He is demanding they take in thousands of migrants. They’re facing harsh winter conditions out in the forests along

Germany won’t admit refugees from Belarus-Polish border -interior minister

Germany will not take in refugees stranded on the Belarus-Polish border, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Thursday after talks with his Polish counterpart. “If we took in refugees, if we bowed to the pressure and said ‘we are taking refugees into European countries’, then this would mean implementing the very basis of this perfidious

Two Russian paratroopers die in Belarus during joint exercises near Polish border

Two Russian servicemen died in western Belarus near the Polish border on Friday during joint airborne exercises with Minsk. The Russian defence ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies that the two soldiers’ parachutes failed to function properly “due to a sudden strong gust of wind” during their jumps. “Despite the efforts

Belarus leader floats idea of cutting gas to Europe in migrant standoff

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday raised the possibility he could shut down the transit of natural gas to Europe via Belarus in retaliation against any new European Union sanctions imposed over his country’s handling of migrants. The EU on Wednesday accused Belarus of mounting a “hybrid attack” on the bloc by encouraging thousands of