Ukraine Released Dozens of Belarusian Citizens in One of the Exchanges, Venediktov Says

Reform.news Editorial Team · 26 October 2026, 23:48

https://reform.news/en/ukraine-released-dozens-of-belarusian-citizens-in-one-of-the-exchanges-venediktov-says/

Ukraine released dozens of Belarusian citizens who had fought on Russia’s side as part of one of the prisoner exchanges. Former editor-in-chief of the Ekho Moskvy radio station Alexei Venediktov said this in an interview with Russian blogger Ilya Varlamov.

Venediktov described Aliaksandr Lukashenka as an intermediary in negotiations between Russia and the United States, but noted that he was trying to secure benefits for himself.

“On the one hand, Lukashenka is an intermediary. He acts as an intermediary, for example, in talks with the Americans. On the other hand, of course, he is cunning. He is certainly trying to exploit his position between Russia and, say, Europe to obtain certain benefits. But, essentially, Aliaksandr Hryhoravich will keep maneuvering. He did so in the past, and he will continue to do so,” Venediktov said.

Asked about the serious pressure Putin was putting on Lukashenka to make Belarus open a second front, Venediktov said that pressure was being exerted on everyone. He believes that Lukashenka may refuse Putin on certain issues.

“Putin, in turn, understands that Lukashenka can be useful in various arrangements. If something doesn’t work out here, it will work out somewhere else. Listen, once again, this is a complicated matter between states,” the journalist said.

Venediktov recalled a story told to him by members of the Russian and Belarusian delegations. At the beginning of Putin’s rule, the Russian president pressured Lukashenka to unite Belarus and Russia and introduce a common currency. According to Venediktov, Lukashenka resisted, but after the talks had ended, he said he agreed.

“He says, ‘I agree, Vladimir Vladimirovich.’ But the conversation was already over. Putin asks, ‘What do you agree to, Aliaksandr Hryhoravich? What exactly do you agree to, Aliaksandr Hryhoravich?’ He addresses him formally. Lukashenka says, ‘I agree to unification, a single state, a single currency, a single president. And let’s do it this way: for the first year, you are president and I am vice-president; the following year, we switch.’ After that, all those discussions died down, you see?” Venediktov said.

Venediktov also commented on the release of Belarusian political prisoners and negotiations with Trump’s special envoy John Coale. He described one of the first conversations between Lukashenka and Coale.

“Coale says, ‘Mr. President, my president, Donald Trump, would like to ask you to release these 25 political prisoners.’ Lukashenka replies in his usual way: ‘We have no political prisoners. They are all bandits, terrorists, fraudsters, hooligans, arsonists and so on.’ Coale tells him, ‘Aliaksandr Hryhoravich, you haven’t understood me. My president, Donald Trump, is asking you to release’ — and he takes a sheet of paper out of his jacket — ‘these 25 political prisoners.’ Lukashenka turns to his KGB chief, whose name I can’t remember, and says, ‘Listen, if their president is asking, what difference does it make to us what we call them? Fine, let them be political prisoners. Hand those bandits over to them,’” Venediktov said.

According to Venediktov, under these arrangements, Ukraine released Belarusian citizens who had fought for Russia as part of one of the exchanges.

“It wasn’t just an exchange for sanctions. For example, in one of the exchanges — this wasn’t widely reported — Ukraine released several dozen Belarusian citizens who had fought in the Russian armed forces. It was an exchange of people for people, not for sanctions — or at least not only for sanctions,” Venediktov said.