Opinions

Instead of 200, only 25 freed: Why Lukashenka dug in his heels and what angered him

 21.09.2026, 12:52
Meeting of released political prisoners in Vilnius, Lithuania. September 16, 2026. Photo: Belsat
Meeting of released political prisoners in Vilnius, Lithuania. September 16, 2026. Photo: Belsat

Let's be frank. For all the joy of releasing 25 people, this is not quite what we expected. I will try to understand why this happened, why 200 people were not released, as announced by US Presidential Special Envoy John Coale, and offer my version of why Alyaksandr Lukashenka dug in his heels and what caused his annoyance.