Overview
- Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters confirmed 31 civilians aged 18 to 58 returned from Belarus and will receive medical care, including for serious illnesses.
- Belarusian officials said the releases were carried out under agreements between Alexander Lukashenko and President Donald Trump at Ukraine’s request.
- The group had been convicted in Belarus with sentences ranging from two to 11 years, though authorities did not detail specific charges.
- The move follows recent gestures by Minsk, including the release of two Catholic priests after Vatican contacts and earlier U.S.-brokered pardons that brought limited sanction relief for Belavia and a U.S. special envoy.
- Belarusian authorities say further talks with Washington are planned in December, while rights group Viasna reports that more than 1,200 political prisoners remain in Belarus.