Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began working in Warsaw this week. Part of Tsikhanouskaya’s team — chief adviser Franak Viachorka and senior adviser Alyaksandr Dabravolski — will move to Warsaw, while part of the team will remain in Vilnius.
“Part of the team will relocate to Warsaw, in particular those staff members who speak Polish and are well acquainted with the Polish context — chief adviser Franak Viachorka and senior adviser Alyaksandr Dabravolski — which will help strengthen our relations with Poland. Meetings with representatives of the Belarusian community are currently taking place, and preparations of the physical office space for the start of work are under way,” the Office said in a press release.
The office in Vilnius will continue operating, retaining its registration and diplomatic accreditation. Adviser on diplomatic affairs Dzianis Kuchynski will become director of the Vilnius office.
“I will also try to visit Lithuania frequently and would like Vilnius to remain our diplomatic center of operations, as well as one of the centers of the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society. This is why most of my team, including the international department, will continue working in Lithuania. The director of the Vilnius office will be my adviser on diplomatic affairs, Denis Kuchynski.
We are expanding our activities to Warsaw and hope that our presence here will strengthen coordination with Polish and international allies, as well as with the Belarusian community in Poland. Poland currently hosts the largest Belarusian community in exile. At the same time, we continue our work in Lithuania and with the Lithuanian government. We are grateful to the Polish and Lithuanian governments for their continuous support of our movement and their solidarity,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
Tsikhanouskaya’s Office stresses that, together with the United Transitional Cabinet, the National Anti-Crisis Management, the Coordination Council, civic and human rights initiatives, as well as international partners and aid organizations, it will continue its work to secure the release of political prisoners and an end to repression.
“The Office will continue working to address the problems faced by Belarusians abroad and inside the country, draw attention to the situation in Belarus, advocate for international support for independent media, cultural and educational initiatives, and help bring Belarus closer to change,” the press release said.
In the autumn of 2025, Lithuania decided to change the security arrangements for Tsikhanouskaya. After that, a discussion began about relocating the Office to Warsaw.
