Belarus Retaliates Against US Sanctions

Demonstrators wear Belarusian flags during a rally called "We won't forget, We won't forgive!" in front of the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Aug. 9, 2021, one year after a disputed election and protests that erupted thereafter in Belarus.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP via Getty Images

The authoritarian regime in Belarus retaliated against U.S. sanctions on Aug. 11 by withdrawing its approval for the appointment of the U.S. ambassador to Belarus and telling Washington to reduce its embassy staff.

The administration of President Joe Biden imposed new sanctions on Belarus on Aug. 9, the one-year anniversary of widespread protests in response to an election the opposition said was rigged. President Alexander Lukashenko ruthlessly squashed the protests with mass arrests and beatings by police.