RIGA - The Belarusian people are oppressed and remain disaffected with the regime of dictator Alexander Lukashenko, Beate Livdanska, researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LAI) and guest lecturer at Riga Stradins University, told LETA.

Demonstrators in Warsaw, Riga, Prague, and Vilnius decried the likely January 26 voting victory of Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The European Parliament has called the election a sham.

Head of the European Parliament delegation on Belarus Malgorzata Gosiewska urged to be more decisive in relation to the regime: - We should speak to the regime in the language of ultimatums. An end to half-measures. No more compromises.

Latvia borders Russia to its east and Russia ally Belarus to its southeast ... The battalion is stationed outside the town of Adazi, near Riga. Sweden formally joined Nato in March as the 32nd member of the trans-Atlantic military alliance, ending decades ...

In this photo released by Belarus' Presidential Press Service, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, right, takes part in an industry award ceremony in Minsk, Belarus, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

Sweden’s armed forces said the mission of 550 troops will contribute to the alliance’s deterrence and defense efforts, and ensure stability in the region, and that it “marks Sweden’s largest commitment yet since joining NATO.

Hundreds of Swedish troops arrived in Latvia on Saturday to join a Canadian-led multinational brigade along NATO’s eastern flank, a mission Sweden is calling its most significant operation so far as a member of the Western defense alliance.

Latvia borders Russia to its east and Russia ally Belarus to its southeast ... The battalion is stationed outside the town of Adazi, near Riga. Swedish soldiers disembarked in the port of Riga ...

Sweden sent 550 troops from one of its mechanized infantry battalions to Riga, Latvia, on Saturday to join a Canadian-led multinational brigade on NATO’s eastern flank. Latvia borders Russia to the east and Russian ally Belarus to the south. The Swedish ...