Belarus Releases American Citizen Amid Controversial Election
The US government announced on January 26 that Belarus had released an American woman, Anastassia Nuhfer. She was detained in early December 2024.
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Nuhfer was released unilaterally by the Belarusian government. The exact reasons for her arrest and release are unclear.
The release comes as Belarus prepares to hold a new presidential election, with incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko expected to win a seventh term in office. Many have criticized the election as fraudulent due to a lack of legitimacy.
Over 1,250 individuals remain in detention in Belarus for opposing the government. Opposition leaders and human rights groups have condemned Sunday’s election.
The US State Department confirmed that Nuhfer was detained on December 7, 2024. A consular officer from Washington met with her earlier this month while she was in detention.
It is unclear what concessions Belarus may have sought in exchange for releasing Nuhfer.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high between Ukraine and Russia. Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine overnight on January 27, targeting the western Ukrainian cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi.
The EU has also condemned Sunday’s election as “neither free nor fair.” Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko secured 86.82% of the vote, according to preliminary results.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed a new commander for the Ground Forces on January 26. Ukrainian Air Force units and Defense Forces also struck drone storage facilities in Russia’s western Oryol Oblast that day.
An underwater fiber optic cable belonging to Latvia’s State Radio and Television Broadcasting Center was damaged due to external impact, according to Latvian authorities.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been told to stop projects in Ukraine following a 90-day foreign aid freeze imposed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.