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Who gets official awards from Lukashenka? An analysis of the past two decades
On 9 January, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka held his annual Presidential Prize awards ceremony. Presidential Prizes recognise achievements in spiritual revival, in sports, and in culture and art. Over the past two decades, President Lukashenka’s personal preferences and hobbies,...
20 September 2016
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Belarus delegation brings Russian flag to Paralympics: solidarity or calculation?

On 7 September 2016, Andrei Fomachkin from Belarus became famous for appearing with a Russian flag during the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Upon his return to Minsk, the Russian media hailed Fomachkin, a bureaucrat...

30 May 2014
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World Ice-Hockey Championships in Belarus: What did Journalists See beyond Sport?

The world knows little or nothing about Belarus. The ice-hockey championships opened up the country not only to tourists, but also to journalists. How did they use this opportunity? Barring presidential elections, the World Ice-Hockey Championships was the first event...

28 May 2014
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Ice Hockey World Cup in Minsk: the Party Is Over

On 25 May the final game between the teams of Russia and Finland brought the Ice Hockey World Cup in Minsk to an end. The biggest international event in Belarus’ sovereign history lasted for 17 days and turned Minsk...

24 May 2013
White-Red-White Flag: The True Belarusian Symbol or a Sign of the Opposition?

Earlier this month the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) officially banned the White-Red-White flag and the heraldic symbol Pahonia from the 2013 Ice Hockey World Championship held in Sweden and Finland. Tony Wirehn, Secretary General of 2013 Ice Hockey...

29 January 2013
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Belarusian Ultras and the Regime

Recent successes of football club BATE Barysau in the Champion League caught attention not only of supporters from all over the Europe but also of the Belarusian authorities. Achievements of FC BATE often appear in public speeches of Lukashenka. Answering...

8 October 2012
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BATE Borisov Made the World Talk about Belarus

Belarusian football is now experiencing extraordinary historic moments. For the first time ever the Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA) named a club from Belarus as the best team of the week in Europe. This happened after BATE Borisov shocked...

3 September 2012
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Belarus in 2012 Olympics: High Hopes and Bitter Dissapointments

The 2012 Olympic Games brought little happiness to Belarus' team: not matching even half of their expectations and receiving the fewest medals ever. This means trouble for Lukashenka’s plans to restore the image of Belarus’ overall prosperity thanks to athletics. Yet...

5 April 2009
Belarusian Teen Wins Sony Ericsson Open in Florida. Congrats to Vika Azarenka!
Belarusian Teen Wins Sony Ericsson Open in Florida. Congrats to Vika Azarenka!

The 19-year-old Belarusian won the Sony Ericsson Open in Florida earlier this week. Victoria Azarenka claimed the biggest win of her career as she defeated five-time champion and world number one Serena...