Belarus: Lukashenko wins election with 80% of vote, election commission says

Alexander Lukashenko says a letter sent to him by the EU indicates that the international community recognizes him as president of Belarus. DW delved into the matter.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya says the OSCE and UN are ready to facilitate negotiations between the opposition and the Belarus government.

Myanmar's deposed politicians declared a shadow government with anti-coup activists and ethnic minorities, hoping to stamp out military rule.

The Belarus strongman want the national security council to take over in case he dies. His eldest son Viktor is seen as the informal leader of the body.

Was it worth it for Alexander Lukashenko? A European Union that so often struggles to reach consensus on foreign policy this time quick to unanimously agree on new sanctions against Belarus over Sunday's forced landing of a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania. More measures could follow after the brazen capture of Roman Pratasevich.

The Belarusian leader said "ill-wishers" are "trying to strangle Belarus" in his first speech since a commercial flight was intercepted and a critical blogger arrested.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says that he acted "to protect people" by diverting a Ryanair flight over Belarusian airspace.

The two leaders, at odds with the West over recent political maneuvers, have enjoyed a boat trip near Sochi. Last week, a plane was forced to land in Minsk to arrest a blogger critical of the Lukashenko regime.

Ex-banker and Belarusian opposition figure Viktor Babariko has been sentenced to 14 years in jail. He is regarded as the main challenger to Alexander Lukashenko, the country's disputed leader.

Lithuania has detained at least 131 migrants over the past 24 hours, mostly from Africa and the Middle East. The EU believes that Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is behind the influx.

The Lukashenko regime has been turning up the heat daily since a wave of mass protests swept across Belarus last year. So where do things stand now?

A year after his controversial reelection threw Belarus into chaos, President Alexander Lukashenko repeated claims that his opponents are working with the West to force him from power.