Фото: @donaldtusk
Journalist Andrzej Poczobut was transferred to Poland as part of a detainee exchange, Belarus’s state news agency BelTA reported. The operation was carried out by the Belarusian KGB and Poland’s Intelligence Agency.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk personally met those released at the border. In a post on X, he published a photo with Poczobut. The political prisoner is holding a Belarusian passport.
According to Belarusian state media, the exchange was conducted under a 5-for-5 formula. It was the culmination of a “complex and lengthy negotiation process between the Belarusian KGB and Poland’s Intelligence Agency, carried out on the direct instruction” of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
“According to participants in the exchange, negotiations began as early as September 2025. The starting point for their organisation was an appeal to the President of Belarus from certain leaders of friendly countries. The head of state issued the relevant instructions to the State Security Committee. Alyaksandr Lukashenka personally took part in discussing the details of the exchange during bilateral contacts with our allies.
During the period of closed negotiations between the Belarusian KGB and Poland’s Intelligence Agency, due to differing interests, it became necessary to involve the special services of other countries in the process. Ultimately, intelligence agencies from seven states took part,” BelTA reported.
The report states that agents were transferred from Poland to Belarus who had been “carrying out particularly important tasks in the interests of ensuring national security and defence capability of our country”.
BelTA also said that Andrzej Poczobut was released following a personal request to Lukashenka from Poczobut’s mother and Andżelika Borys.