Aleksandr Lukashenko is walking a fine line aimed at making sure that Belarus does not get dragged into Russia's war in Ukraine following an ultimatum by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that hinted at Ukrainian military or covert action.Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist in the decades since he was first elected president in 1994, allowed his country to be used as a launchpad for Russian forces when they began their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.But while he has made strongly pro-Russian statements in the years since, he has also sought to maintain neutral, noncombatant status for Belarus. Zelenskyy's ultimatum puts pressure on that position.
Stitched Up: Belarusian Political Prisoners Highlighted Through Traditional Embroidery
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Inside this display in a Prague exhibition hall, the plight of political prisoners in Belarus is being highlighted in an art form usually associated with traditional Slavic clothing.
Amos Chapple
