Key Russian Ally Belarus Takes Center Stage After Wagner Rebellion

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to journalists during his visit to a military-industrial complex facility in the Minsk Region, Belarus, on June 13, 2023. Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via Reuters

Belarus—which played a critical role in ending last week’s aborted mutiny against the Kremlin by the leader of Russia’s Wagner Group—has returned to the spotlight.  

A key Russian ally, the country made headlines earlier this year when Moscow unveiled plans to station tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil.