Belarus Vs. Russia: Who Owns The Art?

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus was part of the Soviet Union and became an independent country in 1991, after the USSR collapsed. Since then, it has maintained close economic and political ties with Russia. Belarus is not a part of Russia, but it has been under the influence of Moscow and has been called Europe's last dictatorship.

Belarus was part of the Soviet Union and became an independent country in 1991

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It was part of the Soviet Union and became an independent country in 1991.

Belarus has a rich history that dates back to the medieval period. Throughout the centuries, various states controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus, including Kievan Rus', the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire.

In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917, different states arose, competing for legitimacy amid the Civil War. This ultimately led to the rise of the Byelorussian SSR, which became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922.

During World War II, Belarus was occupied by Nazi Germany and later retaken by Stalin's Russia in 1944. The country remained under Soviet control until it declared its sovereignty on July 27, 1990, and independence from the Soviet Union on August 25, 1991.

The road to independence was not without challenges. The Belarusian People's Republic, formed under German occupation in 1918, was short-lived due to the dominance of Imperial German and Imperial Russian armies during World War I and the Bolshevik Red Army. The Byelorussian SSR faced similar challenges, merging with other Soviet Socialist Republics before stabilising in July 1920.

Following its independence, Belarus adopted a new constitution in 1994, and Alexander Lukashenko was elected as the country's first president in its first and only free election. Lukashenko has maintained an authoritarian grip on power, leading to strained relations with Western countries and organisations.

Today, Belarus is a unitary democratic welfare rule-of-law state with a presidential republic structure. It covers an area of 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 9.1 million people. Minsk, the capital and largest city, is administered separately and enjoys special status. Belarus is bordered by Russia to the northeast and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

Belarus has retained close economic and political ties with Russia since independence

Belarus, officially known as the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It has retained close economic and political ties with Russia since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The two countries share a long history, with Belarus having been occupied by the Russian Empire since the end of the 18th century. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Belarus became a founding member of the Soviet Union in 1922, and remained under Soviet control until declaring its sovereignty in 1990 and independence in 1991.

Since independence, Belarus has maintained strong economic ties with Russia, with Russia accounting for about 45% of Belarusian exports and 55% of imports as of 2007. In 1999, the two countries signed the Union State Foundation Treaty, aiming to create a politically integrated confederation with a common currency. Belarus is also dependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and its export market.

In addition to economic ties, Belarus and Russia have close political ties. Belarus borders three NATO member states (Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland) that were once communist states, but unlike these countries, Belarus has remained under Moscow's influence. Belarus has a highly centralized and authoritarian government, led by President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. Lukashenko has played a key role in maintaining close ties with Russia, and the country has often been described as ""Europe's last dictatorship."

Belarus has also served as a strategic partner for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, with Russian troops gathering in Belarus under the guise of joint training exercises before invading Ukraine in February 2022. Belarus has hosted diplomatic talks between Russia and Ukraine and has been subjected to sanctions by Western countries for its role in the conflict.

The close economic and political ties between Belarus and Russia are rooted in their shared history and have been maintained through various agreements and dependencies since Belarus gained independence.

Belarus borders three NATO member states: Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, which shares borders with five countries: Latvia to the north, Lithuania to the northwest, Poland to the west, Russia to the north and east, and Ukraine to the south. To the north and west of Belarus lie three NATO member states: Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

In recent years, these three NATO allies have been on high alert due to the actions of the authoritarian regime of Belarus's long-time leader, Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, has been dubbed ""Europe's last dictator". He has maintained a highly centralized and authoritarian government, with power concentrated in the hands of the president, and elections neither free nor fair.

In 2020, Lukashenko declared victory in a controversial and disputed presidential election, claiming an implausible landslide win of 80% of the vote. This sparked unprecedented mass protests across the country, with thousands of people of all ages taking to the streets and calling for Lukashenko's resignation. Security forces arrested thousands, but still failed to suppress the demonstrations.

Facing the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule, Lukashenko turned to Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, for support. Putin announced that Russian forces stood ready to intervene in Belarus "if necessary". This emboldened Lukashenko to launch a brutal crackdown on the opposition, with mass arrests, torture, and the jailing of political opponents and journalists.

In addition to the domestic repression, Lukashenko's regime has also posed a threat to its NATO neighbours. In 2021, Belarus instigated a hybrid warfare campaign by trafficking migrants to the European Union borders with Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. This led to accusations from the EU and NATO that Lukashenko was using immigrants to deliberately destabilize neighbouring countries, constituting a "hybrid attack" on the alliance.

Another source of concern for NATO has been the presence of Russia-linked Wagner Group mercenaries in Belarus. The Wagner Group's arrival in the country has been viewed as a further escalation of the situation and a potential threat to NATO allies in the region.

The Suwalki Gap, a 100-kilometre stretch of land along the Lithuanian-Polish border sandwiched between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, is particularly vulnerable in the event of a conflict with Russia. This has prompted NATO nations to beef up their security and deploy more troops and equipment to their borders.

While Belarus is not a member of NATO and has no aspirations to join, it does participate in the alliance's Individual Partnership Program and has cooperated with NATO through its Partnership for Peace Program. However, tensions between Belarus and NATO have been high, especially after the disputed 2006 presidential election in the country.

Belarus has a population of 9.1 million people and is landlocked

Belarus has a long and complex history, having been controlled by various states throughout the medieval period and the 20th century. From the end of the 18th century until 1918, it was occupied by the Russian Empire. After a brief period of independence, Belarus was forcibly absorbed into the Soviet Union by the Bolsheviks. During World War II, Belarus was occupied by Nazi Germany and later retaken by Stalin's Russia in 1944. It remained under Soviet control until declaring its sovereignty in 1990 and independence in 1991.

The population of Belarus is predominantly urban, with 78.4% of the people living in cities. The ethnic structure includes Belarusians (84.9%-85%), Russians (7.5%), Poles (3.1%), and Ukrainians (1.7%), among others. The country has two official languages: Belarusian and Russian.

Belarus is a land of rich natural resources and diverse landscapes. It is home to numerous rivers, including the Dnieper, the Neman, and the Pripyat, as well as over 10,000 lakes. The country's terrain is mostly flat, with hills, flatlands, and lowlands, and is covered by forests, marshes, and grasslands. The highest point in Belarus is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara, at 345 metres (1,132 ft) above sea level.

Belarus has a developing economy and is known for its heavy machinery, agricultural products, and energy exports. However, the country has faced economic challenges and international sanctions due to its political situation. Despite these difficulties, Belarus has maintained close economic and political ties with Russia, signing a treaty in 1999 to create a politically integrated confederation.

The country has a hemiboreal climate and is divided into six administrative regions

Belarus has a hemiboreal climate and is divided into six administrative regions, or oblasts, each named after the cities that serve as their administrative centres. These are Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev, Minsk, and Vitebsk. Minsk, the nation's capital and largest city, is administered separately as a city with special status.

The country's climate features mild to cold winters, with January minimum temperatures ranging from −4 °C in the southwest (Brest) to −8 °C in the northeast (Vitebsk). Summers are cool and moist, with an average temperature of 18 °C. Belarus has an average annual rainfall of 550 to 700 mm, with 70% of the rain falling between April and October. The country experiences 75 to 125 days of snow each year, with falls ranging from 15 to 30 cm.

The six regions are further subdivided into 118 raions, commonly translated as districts. Each raion has its own legislative authority, or raion council, which is elected by its residents, and an executive authority or raion administration appointed by oblast executive powers.

The layout and extent of the regions were set in 1960 when Belarus was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. The country gained independence from the Soviet Union on 25 August 1991.

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