Belarus Context

Independent Belarusian commentary beyond official and "opposition" narratives.
🧭 Analysis. Context. Critical scrutiny.
DMs open for tips & sources

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

#DueDiligence
@MartaKosEU @DorotaDlouchy @eu_eeas @eu_enlargement_ @Europarl_EN @EU_Commission

1) Approximately $150,000 (≈ €130,000) in grant funds disappeared together with Anzhelika Melnikova (also spelled Melnikava) of the #TsikhanouskayaGroup.

- What concrete steps have been taken to recover these funds?
- Has an official investigation been initiated?
- Which institution bears responsibility for financial oversight in this case?

2) From 2020 through December 2025, the EU mobilized over €200 million to support the people of Belarus: https://t.co/8tXWvdyybO.

This raises broader questions of systemic accountability.

When will EU taxpayers see a full public report detailing the allocation of these funds, including specific beneficiaries and oversight mechanisms?

#PublicQuestions #UnansweredQuestions #Belarus

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Regarding Belarus.

When the full-scale war began, we were hit by missiles that killed children and adults. And Alexander Lukashenko knows this. A large number of missiles were launched from Belarus. Back then, he called, apologized, and said it was out of his control. I don’t believe that, but that’s what he’s already said. Now, Russia will keep pushing him further into this war. Now, he understands that Ukraine will respond.

There’s no need for extra words. There are retransmitters on his communication towers. On his territory, along the two regions bordering Ukraine, there is equipment that adjusts fire on our people. He should remove that equipment. I think a week is enough for him to do that. Because right now, every day, our civilians are being killed, and children are being wounded as a result of this. If he doesn’t do it, we will.

The same goes for his oil-refining sector, for example. We are doing everything so that the Russians don’t have the ability to sell oil and supply diesel and fuel to their army. Today, Belarus is one of the key suppliers for the Russian army. Can this be stopped? I’m sure it’s within his power. And he is the one who controls it.

As for the drone strike on a bus with Belarusian children, everyone has already acknowledged it – international experts and, it seems, even the Russians are admitting it wasn’t our strike. The Russians will resort to all sorts of provocations to drag the Belarusian people into this war. This is one of them.

From the joint press interaction with the President of Honduras, Nasry Asfura. (1/3)

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

🔥Belarus Democratic Forum reports:

On 19 June 2026, the Security Service of Ukraine 🇺🇦officially initiated the review process for an appeal seeking criminal proceedings against Belarusian citizen Alexander Lukashenko (https://t.co/N11j2heno6).

The appeal, submitted on 27 May 2026 by Belarus Democratic Forum to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy @ZelenskyyUa and Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko @Kravchenko_RA, requests a legal assessment of Lukashenko's role in supporting Russia's aggression against Ukraine, including the use of Belarusian territory for the invasion, support for Russian military operations, and other actions that may constitute serious international crimes.

The appeal has been officially accepted for review.

Full text of the appeal:
https://t.co/M9dZAaF6n6

[Alliance Resistance Belarus @AllianceBelarus]

⚡️ NEW INVESTIGATION: Anatol Kotau

A joint investigation by @BelarusFiles, @OCCRP and @dwnews suggests he may have disappeared after an operation involving Russia's FSB in the Black Sea.

His fate remains unknown.

https://t.co/5A8As0Hp9c

#AnatolKotau #FindKotau #FreeKotau

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

⚠️ UPDATE 3
On 18 June 2026, the European Parliament adopted its resolution on Belarus https://t.co/dX7jVBpIgK
without the provision* concerning a compensation mechanism linked to regime assets and other economic measures.

The condemnations remained.
The declarations remained.
The demands remained.

The only provision that could have imposed tangible economic consequences on Lukashenko's regime did not make it into the final text.

*Motion for a Resolution B10-0324/2026, Point 3 called "on the European Commission and EU Member States to assess a unified EU framework for compensating victims of politically motivated property confiscation by the Belarusian regime, including through legally available regime-linked assets and special duties on trade with Lukashenko's regime" https://t.co/fFsxEXpDq6

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Belarus Democratic Forum reports:

A proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament to establish a legal framework for compensating victims of politically motivated property confiscations in Belarus and Russia.

The initiative calls for the creation of a European Compensation Fund financed through Russian and Belarusian state assets, proceeds from state-owned companies, and other revenue sources linked to the regimes.

The fund would provide compensation for confiscated property, forced exile, and other damages suffered by victims of political repression and their families.

Full appeal and draft European Parliament resolution:
https://t.co/ea6nWkr26V

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

⚠️ UPDATE 2

The most consequential provision for Lukashenko's regime vanished from the final European Parliament resolution:
https://t.co/dX7jVBpIgK
Not the condemnations.
Not the demands.
Not the declarations.

The only proposal involving regime-linked assets and tangible economic consequences for the regime.

Who wanted it gone?

The vote takes place today, 18 June 2026.

Belarus Democratic Forum has already appealed to Members of the European Parliament to restore this provision through an oral amendment during the vote.

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

UPDATE:
A Motion for a 🇪🇺 European Parliament Resolution on political prisoners in Belarus includes a proposal to consider a European compensation mechanism for victims of politically motivated property confiscations by the Belarusian regime.

Earlier, Belarus Democratic Forum submitted a proposal to Members of the European Parliament calling for the development of such a mechanism:
https://t.co/w0ZjW43SFb

Vote scheduled for 18 June 2026.

Motion for a Resolution:
https://t.co/fFsxEXpDq6

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Belarus Democratic Forum reports:

A proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament to establish a legal framework for compensating victims of politically motivated property confiscations in Belarus and Russia.

The initiative calls for the creation of a European Compensation Fund financed through Russian and Belarusian state assets, proceeds from state-owned companies, and other revenue sources linked to the regimes.

The fund would provide compensation for confiscated property, forced exile, and other damages suffered by victims of political repression and their families.

Full appeal and draft European Parliament resolution:
https://t.co/ea6nWkr26V

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

UPDATE 2:
The issue has now reached international media.

@Jerusalem_Post:
"Israel condemns Lukashenko over 'Gaza is a holocaust' remarks and claims about a 'Jewish lobby,' saying his comments are unacceptable and distort the Holocaust"
✍️ @MathildaHeller https://t.co/RGsfnyzqos

Read more: https://t.co/lsH3wreQpz

[Israel Foreign Ministry @IsraelMFA]

The remarks made by the President of Belarus - a country that knows all too well the horrors of the Holocaust committed on its own soil - in his interview with Al Arabiya are unacceptable and deeply disturbing.

Any comparison between the Holocaust of the Jewish people and Israel’s just war against terrorism must be unequivocally rejected.

Equally appalling is the revival of vile, outdated antisemitic conspiracies that should have long been consigned to history.

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Belarus Democratic Forum reports:

Following Alexander Lukashenko’s latest antisemitic statements about a supposed "Jewish lobby" influencing international affairs influencing international affairs, letters were sent to Israel’s Foreign Minister, the Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and members of the Knesset.

The appeal called for a public assessment of Lukashenko’s statements and an official response to such rhetoric.

Lukashenko’s remarks repeat classic antisemitic conspiracy narratives about hidden influence and collective ethnic responsibility.

Alexander Lukashenko bears personal responsibility for Belarus's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine.

International reactions have already begun 👇
https://t.co/d1xvSxLZpi

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

UPDATE:
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@IsraelMFA) has already responded publicly to Lukashenko's latest antisemitic statements.

"Antisemitic rhetoric has no place in public discourse and must be unequivocally condemned"

Statement:
https://t.co/km1Z1yRuPK

[Israel Foreign Ministry @IsraelMFA]

The remarks made by the President of Belarus - a country that knows all too well the horrors of the Holocaust committed on its own soil - in his interview with Al Arabiya are unacceptable and deeply disturbing.

Any comparison between the Holocaust of the Jewish people and Israel’s just war against terrorism must be unequivocally rejected.

Equally appalling is the revival of vile, outdated antisemitic conspiracies that should have long been consigned to history.

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

@johnpcoale Which Biden are you referring to? This one? 👇

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Alina Kharysava ("Alexa") Case | Timeline 2025–2026

Key events, public statements and source materials collected in one place.

📌 RU & ENG: The Alina Kharysava ("Alexa") Case | Дело Алины Харисовой («Алекса») - Активизм или Аферизм – Telegraph
https://t.co/e0rdQRoUH1

Харисова | Харысава | Kharysava
#TsikhanouskayaGroup

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

This story is no longer just about Alina Kharysava.

It is about the people and structures that promoted her #TsikhanouskayaGroup

The recommendations.

The endorsements.

The expert titles.

The conferences.

The grants.

The networks.

And the standards by which "experts" are selected and presented to international partners.

Trust, once lost, is difficult to restore.

The thread: https://t.co/dvkkpdVoHn

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Scandals involving information leaks, access to sensitive data, the pursuit of funding, and a willingness to cooperate with intelligence services have become a recurring feature of #TsikhanouskayaGroup

Serious controversies and questions have previously surrounded individuals and projects linked to this political network: Zaretskaya, Kavalkova, Melnikava, the Black Book of Belarus case (linked to Franak Viacorka), the Belaruski Hajun case (linked to Anton Motolko), and many others.

This time:
"Belarusian activist Alina Kharysava provided information on the opposition to Belarusian intelligence services, believing she had been recruited by the SBU" https://t.co/jBZ1MqfUIc

We are talking about a person who was actively promoted by structures affiliated with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya across numerous international platforms and in the public sphere.

What is striking here is not only the willingness to cooperate with intelligence services and share information about colleagues.

Equally troubling is the scale of self-promotion and public endorsement that helped create the image of Alina Kharysava as a rising expert, political scientist, and analyst - an image that appears to have advanced significantly faster than the body of independently verifiable achievements behind it.

1/8

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Timeline.

04.06.2026: a KGB-released video recording becomes public.

05.06.2026: Facebook posts
- https://t.co/NxuFUy2kis
- https://t.co/jhcaIBc57P

08.06.2026: Instagram post for an international audience
https://t.co/D7zeXpv7tC

As the audience changes, so does the emphasis.

Judge for yourself

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Scandals involving information leaks, access to sensitive data, the pursuit of funding, and a willingness to cooperate with intelligence services have become a recurring feature of #TsikhanouskayaGroup

Serious controversies and questions have previously surrounded individuals and projects linked to this political network: Zaretskaya, Kavalkova, Melnikava, the Black Book of Belarus case (linked to Franak Viacorka), the Belaruski Hajun case (linked to Anton Motolko), and many others.

This time:
"Belarusian activist Alina Kharysava provided information on the opposition to Belarusian intelligence services, believing she had been recruited by the SBU" https://t.co/jBZ1MqfUIc

We are talking about a person who was actively promoted by structures affiliated with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya across numerous international platforms and in the public sphere.

What is striking here is not only the willingness to cooperate with intelligence services and share information about colleagues.

Equally troubling is the scale of self-promotion and public endorsement that helped create the image of Alina Kharysava as a rising expert, political scientist, and analyst - an image that appears to have advanced significantly faster than the body of independently verifiable achievements behind it.

1/8

[Sota News @sotanews]

Belarusian activist Alina Kharisova provided information on the opposition to Belarusian intelligence services, believing she had been recruited by the SBU

The exposure of the 24-year-old politically persecuted Belarusian, Kharisova, was broadcast today on Belarusian state television by Roman Protasevich, a former editor of the NEXTA channel who now works with the Lukashenko regime's intelligence services.

He claimed that Kharisova, who resides in Germany, had been recruited and regularly received money "from the SBU" in exchange for transmitting information about the internal workings of the Belarusian opposition.

Kharisova herself, who only learned she had been working for the regime after Protasevich's statements, admitted to cooperating "with the SBU" over the past year:

"I was in a very vulnerable position when an 'SBU representative' spent several days persuading me to establish contact with them, convincing me that this was being done to help Ukraine and Belarusian democratic forces build ties. Because of these assurances, I got in touch."

According to the activist, she "never once wrote anything beyond what is publicly available or what I had stated during Euroradio broadcasts. When I saw that questions were being asked about matters completely unrelated to Ukraine, I said that this had nothing to do with Ukraine. Most of the time, I played dumb and ignored messages for days because I realized the situation was very strange."

Kharisova also confirmed that she had recorded a video message expressing her readiness to cooperate with the SBU, which Protasevich aired.

As a result, the activist announced the suspension of her cooperation with all organizations and requested an investigation into her statements.

The "Dissidentby" project describes Kharisova as a "political scientist, leader of the Yana/Yoy project, and a member of the Coordination Council of Belarus, where she works in the international commission, the working group on scientific interest advocacy, and the feminist group." Furthermore, Kharisova serves as the secretary of the Belarusian Students' Association and is an expert for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s office, having participated alongside her in the Munich Security Conference.

Notably, Lukashenko's intelligence services regularly deceive Belarusian emigrants by posing as Western or Russian journalists to obtain information aimed at discrediting the opposition as well as intelligence data. One of the most prominent instances of this tactic was the filming of "Alien Sky," a documentary about the lives of Belarusian emigrants in Lithuania, which was produced under the guise of being an official project by Tsikhanouskaya's Office.

[Belarus Context @BelarusContext]

Particular attention should be paid to Alina Kharysava’s own reaction to the revelations.

On 5 June 2026, in a Facebook post, she effectively acknowledged the core facts of what had happened.

However, by 8 June 2026, in a post aimed at an English-speaking audience on Instagram, the emphasis had noticeably shifted.
The central theme became her asylum application in Germany, while the key issue was pushed into the background.

Namely:
According to publicly available information, Kharysava recorded a video in which she voluntarily agreed to cooperate with an intelligence service and even selected an operational codename - "Alexa".

This is the central fact of the story. Not the asylum application. Not the circumstances of the recruitment. But the voluntary agreement to cooperate and the transmission of information about representatives of Belarusian democratic structures.

The impression is that, rather than providing a full and candid explanation of what happened, we are witnessing an attempt to reframe the discussion and shift attention toward a version of events that is more acceptable to an international audience.
Based on Kharysava’s public statements, it appears that the primary source of regret is not the decision to cooperate or the sharing of information itself, but the fact that the story became public.

She explains at length how she was allegedly misled, how events unfolded, and what personal consequences followed.

Yet one crucial question remains unanswered:

Why did a person presenting herself as a political scientist, analyst, and representative of democratic structures agree in the first place to cooperate with an intelligence service and provide information about colleagues?

The overall impression is that the greatest regret concerns not the decision itself, but the fact that evidence remained and eventually became public.

8/8