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WINDOW TO BELARUS
Here we publish the most important figures of the month, as well as sociological notes on the sentiments inside Belarus.
Figures of the month: February 2026
By the end of 2025, production volumes in the Vitebsk Region had fallen in virtually all industrial sectors, amounting to a 4% decline. In certain sectors – oil refining and mechanical engineering – the decline was nearly 20%.
Belarus’s gold and foreign exchange reserves as at 1 February stood at $15.7 billion, having increased by $1.28 billion (+8.9%) over the month.
Foreign trade turnover in goods and services last year amounted to $105.2 billion and grew by 4.5%. The foreign trade deficit in goods and services amounted to $1.8 billion and increased by 18.3% compared to 2024.
Trade turnover between Belarus and the Russian Federation in 2025 grew by 3% and reached approximately $52 billion.
40% of the Union State’s sectoral programmes have been implemented (125 out of 310).
Foreign investment in Belarus in 2025 amounted to $7.6 billion, an increase of $0.7 billion, or 10%, compared to 2024.
In 2025, labour productivity rose by 1%, whilst real wages (adjusted for inflation) rose by 9%.
Belarus’ GDP fell by 1.2% in January.
In Belarus, gas prices rose by 7.07%, electricity prices by 7%, and heating prices by 7.3%.
The public sector’s loan debt rose by 12.8% year-on-year to 35.237 billion (compared with 31.543 billion a year earlier).
Trade turnover between Belarus and Uzbekistan in 2025 amounted to approximately $850 million.
Figures of the month: January 2026
In 2025, Lithuanian border guards detected 911 cases of the illegal transport of tobacco products from Belarus, which is 3.2 times more than in 2024. Over 80% of the cigarettes were transported by air.
According to the EU border agency Frontex, the number of people attempting to enter the EU illegally via Belarus in 2025 fell by 37%.
Belstat has assessed the country’s total national wealth for the first time. As of the end of 2023, it stood at 1 trillion 655 billion rubles, or approximately $560 billion at the National Bank’s exchange rate as of 9 January 2026.
Broad money supply as at 1 January 2026 stood at 103.03 billion roubles, having increased by 16.1% over the year, or by 14.28 billion roubles.
Industrial output in 2025 amounted to 208 billion roubles, down 1.8% compared with 2024.
The Belarusian Armed Forces ranked 70th out of 145 countries according to a ranking compiled by the analytical portal Global Firepower.
Belarus’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 grew by 1.3% compared to 2024, reaching 286.7 billion roubles.
Industrial output in January amounted to 16.6 billion roubles. It fell by 3.4% in comparable prices compared with the same month in 2025.
There are more than 180 military-patriotic clubs operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, with a membership of over 6,000 people.
The utilisation rate of Belarusian production capacity remains at 67%.
Figures of the month: December 2025
In 2025, Belarus held 756 events in the field of international military cooperation.
The foreign trade deficit of Belarus in January-November 2025 reached almost $6 billion.
Belarus' gold and foreign exchange reserves set a new record in November, increasing by $177.2 million to reach $13.9 billion on 1 December.
In 2025, Belarus' national debt to Russia decreased by 1.6 per cent to $7.62 billion.
35,000 migrant workers cannot fully solve the problems in the Belarusian labour market, where there are currently about 170,000 vacancies.
As a result of negotiations with the United States, Lukashenko pardoned 123 political prisoners and deported them from Belarus. Another 22 people were pardoned on New Year's Eve.
In Belarus, the broad money supply has grown by 10.4%, or 9.25 billion rubles, since the beginning of the year.
The amount of cash in circulation has increased by 19% since the beginning of the year and amounted to 14.09 billion rubles as of 1 December 2025.
According to the results of January-November 2025, the volume of industrial product inventories in monetary terms amounted to 11.7 billion rubles, which is 32.7% more than in the same period of 2024 (8.8 billion) and 2.2 times more than in the 11 months of 2020 (5.3 billion).
In January–November 2025, agricultural production decreased by 0.02%.
Figures of the month: November 2025
Trade turnover with non-CIS countries for the first nine months of 2025 amounted to $22 billion 201.5 million, with a negative balance of $6 billion 482.5 million.
Belarus' trade turnover with CIS countries for the first nine months amounted to $41 billion 531.7 million, with a positive balance of $1 billion 931.1 million.
According to Chinese statistics, trade between China and Belarus reached $6.19 billion in the first nine months of 2025, which is 2.3% more than in the same period last year.
A. Lukashenko pardoned and handed over 31 citizens of Ukraine to the Ukrainian side as part of agreements with Donald Trump.
In the draft budget for 2026 approved by the Lower House, national defence spending, which had been increasing since 2022, will decrease by 202 million roubles to 4.5 billion roubles. At the same time, spending on law enforcement agencies and courts will increase significantly — law enforcement agencies will receive 6.7 billion roubles, which is 1.35 billion roubles more than in 2025 (an increase of about 25%).
Figures of the month: October 2025
In the first nine months of 2025, EU countries neighbouring Belarus recorded 37,889 attempts at illegal migration from Belarus, which is 18.7% more than in the same period last year.
Belarus' gold and foreign exchange reserves grew by $871.7 million in September and amounted to $13.2839 billion as of 1 October 2025.
In Belarus, the state regulates prices and tariffs for goods, works and services, which make up 60% of the consumer basket.
Over two years of operation, the ‘return commission’ received 323 applications. 70 applications were considered on their merits, and 30 people returned to Belarus.
In September, Belarus increased its exports of petrol to Russia by rail fourfold, sending 49,000 tonnes of petrol and 33,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to the Russian Federation last month.
Lithuania reduced the level of physical protection for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, which cost the country approximately €1 million per year.
The birth rate in Belarus as a whole is 1.1 children per woman, and in Minsk — only 0.6.
The European Union has adopted a new, 19th package of sanctions against Belarus.
Figures of the month: September 2025
In January–August 2025, neighbouring EU countries prevented at least 34,045 attempts to illegally cross the border from Belarus, which is 20% more than in the first eight months of last year (28,376).
As of 1 September, Belarus' gold and foreign exchange reserves (GFER) increased by $471.4 million to $12.4 billion.
At the end of August, Belarus turned out to be the largest importer of Polish apples, purchasing 655 tonnes and significantly ahead of all other importers (57% of the total volume).
On 11 September, after meeting with an American delegation, Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 52 prisoners. On 16 September, Alexander Lukashenko decided to pardon another 25 people.
Belarus ranked first in the world in terms of alcohol-related deaths. There are 164 deaths per 100,000 people in the country, while the global average is 33 cases.
Belarus' gross external debt for the first half of 2025 increased by $2.7 billion and amounted to $37.7 billion as of 1 July 2025.
Industrial production in January-August decreased by 0.8% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 136.6 billion roubles.
Agricultural production in all categories of farms in January-August decreased by 0.7% and amounted to 23.3 billion roubles.
More than 130 freight trains from China to the EU were stuck in Brest after Poland closed its border with Belarus due to the „Zapad-2025“ military exercises.
Figures of the month: August 2025
In January-July 2025, 27,360 attempts to illegally cross from Belarus to the EU were recorded. This is 7.2% more than in the first seven months of last year and 12.7% more than in the same period in 2023.
Belarus' gold and foreign exchange reserves grew by $400.3 million in July and reached a record $11.938 billion. Over the first seven months of this year, gold and foreign exchange reserves increased by $3.154 billion (+33.8%).
According to the results of January-July 2025, the volume of industrial product inventories in monetary terms amounted to 11.216 billion rubles, which is 33.9% more than in the same period of 2024 (8.378 billion) and 2.1 times more than in the first seven months of 2020 (5.303 billion).
In the first half of 2025, Belarusian exports of goods and services to Russia grew by 67%.
The foreign trade deficit in goods and services at the end of the first half of the year amounted to $928.2 million, compared to $809 million at the end of January-May.
On the fifth anniversary of the events of 2020 in Minsk, the European Union announced that the EU had spent €170 million on aid to the Belarusian opposition.
Figures of the month: July 2025
Ahead of Independence Day, Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 16 people convicted of various crimes, including extremism.
Belarus' international reserve assets as of 1 July 2025 amounted to $11 billion 537.3 million.
Leaders from 28 countries congratulated Minsk on Independence Day.
Annual inflation accelerated again in June, reaching 7.3%.
Over the past six months, 1,600 Belarusians have applied for international protection in Poland.
In Belarus, over the past five years, at least 500,000 people have been illegally repressed for political reasons, with over 100,000 citizens included in the security forces' database "BESporiadki".
In June 2025, stocks of finished industrial products in warehouses increased to 11.593 billion rubles. Over the year, the increase in stocks reached 2.83 billion rubles.
As of 26 July, there were 220,063 job vacancies on the Belarusian labour market.
The share of petroleum products and potash in Belarusian exports decreased from 20% to 16%.
Figures of the month: June 2025
Belarusian exports of goods fell by 4% to $12.39 billion in the first four months of the year, while imports rose by 3.7% to $14.65 billion.
Belarus' gross external debt for the first quarter of 2025 increased by $2.240 billion (+6.4%) and amounted to $37.406 billion as of 1 April 2025.
Annual inflation accelerated to 7.1% in May.
In 2024, Bellegprom's exports to the EU grew by 26%.
On 21 June, following a visit to Minsk by US Special Representative for Ukraine Kellogg, the Belarusian authorities released 14 political prisoners.
In May this year, China imported $32.08 million worth of potash fertilisers from Belarus, three times less than a year ago.
Since the beginning of 2025, neighbouring EU countries have stopped more than 20,000 attempts to violate the border from Belarus.
Figures of the month: May 2025
On 7 May, A. Lukashenko issued a separate decree pardoning 42 people convicted of extremist crimes.
In April, Belarus became the leading importer of Polish apples: 31% of apples exported from Poland outside the EU went to the Belarusian market, where 8,841 tonnes of apples were delivered.
Lithuania published details of its plans to strengthen its defence on the border with Belarus by 2030, with funding of more than €1.1 billion.
In the first quarter, foreign investment in Belarus grew by 7.1% to about $3 billion. At the same time, Belarus invested $1.3 billion abroad.
As of 16 May, there were 205,873 job vacancies across Belarus registered with the employment service.
Over the past five years, industrial production inventories have almost doubled, reaching 11.167 billion rubles in monetary terms.
During the MILEX-2025 international exhibition of arms and military equipment held in Minsk, the Belarusian defence industry signed contracts worth more than $390 million.
41% of Russians named Belarus as the most friendly country to the Russian Federation. This is 8 percentage points less than in 2022.
As of 1 January 2025, there were 1,764,309 minors living in Belarus. This is 26.2% less than at the beginning of 2000.
Latvia confiscated 1,936 tonnes of potassium chloride from Belarus that had been seized by customs authorities.
Figures of the month: April 2025
Since the beginning of 2025, Belarusian air defence forces have recorded 128 violations of the state border in the airspace and destroyed 23 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
In the spring, 2.4 million people allegedly took part in the Republican Subbotnik.
As of 1 April, the RB's gold and foreign exchange reserves increased by $662.3 million to $10.07 billion.
The number of labour migrants in 2024 more than doubled, reaching 60,000 foreigners.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan confirmed an agreement with Lukashenko to send 150,000 Pakistanis to Belarus.
As part of the spring conscription campaign that has begun in Belarus, 10,000 conscripts will be drafted.
The Belarusian Ministry of Defence plans to purchase more than 500 drones worth $3.3 million by the end of the year.
Latvia prevented 1,334 attempts by illegal migrants to break through the border with Belarus.
Belarus ranked 166th in the 2024 international press freedom index.
The labour shortage in Belarus has exceeded 200,000 people.
The nominal average salary in March increased by 173.7 Belarusian rubles compared to February and amounted to 2,601.8 Belarusian rubles before income tax.
In January-February, 23.8% of all enterprises in Belarus operated at a loss.
The official exchange rate of the US dollar in Belarus for January-April 2025 decreased by 12.2% from 3.4735 to 3.0512 Belarusian rubles.
As of early 2025, there were at least 742 people with Belarusian passports fighting in Ukraine as part of the Russian army.
Figures of the month: March 2025
The foreign trade deficit in goods for January amounted to $504.3 million.
The foreign trade deficit for goods in January-February amounted to $1.02 billion.
Russia granted Belarus a deferral on loan payments totalling $800 million.
A. Lukashenko stated that Russia intends to build a plant in Belarus to produce unmanned aerial systems with a capacity of up to 100,000 units per year.
1,100 people were invited to A. Lukashenko's seventh inauguration ceremony.
As of 1 January 2025, the country's population was 9,109,280, according to Belstat. Over the year, it decreased by 46,700 people. Compared to the beginning of 2020, the number of residents in Belarus decreased by approximately 300,000 people, and compared to 1995, it decreased by 1.1 million people.
According to the results of 2024, trade turnover between Russia and Belarus "grew by about five to seven per cent and reached a record level" of $50-51 billion.
Russia has invested about $4.5 billion in the Belarusian economy, and more than 2,000 Russian companies operate in the country (V. Putin).
At the beginning of 2025, Russia allocated 33.4 billion Russian rubles to Belarus for import substitution projects.
In February 2025, MAZ sold almost 35% fewer new trucks (290) and 10 times fewer buses (11) to Russia than a year earlier.
In 2024, 58,993 children were born in Belarus. This is 8.7% less than a year earlier and the lowest figure in the last 75 years.
About 400 people have been recognised by the Investigative Committee as suspects in a criminal case for participating in foreign protests on 26 January.
Figures of the month: February 2025
As part of the ongoing combat readiness check, about five thousand conscripts have been called up from the reserve.
Out of 241 appeals reviewed by the Commission for the Consideration of Appeals from Citizens of the Republic of Belarus over the past two years, only 30 applicants received a positive response, and 20 of them returned to Belarus.
According to official information, almost 60% of the population trusts the state media, and Belarusian national content accounts for more than 70% of the total.
Belarus scored 7 out of 100 in the political and civil liberties ranking compiled by the human rights organisation Freedom House.
According to FOM, 69% of Russian citizens surveyed have a favourable opinion of the Belarusian president (two years ago, this figure was 59%, and five years ago, 38%).
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia have proposed creating a unified defence line on the border with Belarus and Russia at a cost of €8-10 billion.
In January 2025, only 4 MAZ buses were sold on the Russian market, 21 times less than a year earlier (84).
Belarus accounts for 9% of Russia's foreign trade turnover.
Figures of the month: January 2025
30 applicants out of 241 received a positive response from the Commission for Consideration of Appeals of Citizens of the Republic of Belarus on Offences committed by them during the two years of its work, only 20 of them returned to Belarus. The Commission aims to bring back citizens who left the country after the 2020 protests.
60% of the population trusts the state mass media, and the Belarusian national content in the aggregate makes up more than 70% – according to official information.
7 points out of 100 scored Belarus in the rating of political and civil liberties compiled by the human rights organisation Freedom House.
4 MAZ buses were sold on the Russian market in January 2025 – 21 times less than a year earlier (84).
9% is the share of Belarus in the Russian foreign trade turnover.
Figures for 2024
$60 billion – the potential trade turnover between Belarus and Russia by the end of 2024.
$7 billion – the projected annual trade turnover between Belarus and Moscow, the capital of Russia.
$9 billion – the estimated food exports in 2024.
$1.7 billion – the net foreign currency sales by individuals in Belarus in 2024 (six times higher than in 2023).
$5.37 billion – the foreign trade deficit in goods in 2024 (a 65.2% increase compared to the previous year).
41 provocations were committed on the southern border by Ukraine, according to the State Border Committee of Belarus in 2024.
€8 billion per year – the volume of mutual trade turnover between Belarus and the European Union.
50 pardon applications were submitted to the Pardon Commission in 2024.
246.6 billion BYN – Belarus’s GDP at the end of 2024 (4% growth).
1 million cubic metres of Belarusian sawn timber were exported in 2024 – a record high in the history of sovereign Belarus.
227 people convicted under extremist articles were pardoned by President A. Lukashenko in 2024.
395 UAV intrusions into Belarus from Ukraine and Russia were recorded from July to December 2024.
36,291 attempts by migrants to illegally cross the border from Belarus into EU neighbouring countries were recorded – 13.8% fewer than in 2023 (42,078 attempts).
29,972 attempts to illegally cross the Poland-Belarus border were recorded in 2024 (26,000 in 2023, 15,000 in 2022).
82.6% of illegal migration attempts into the EU from Belarus in 2024 were recorded at the Polish-Belarusian border (29,972 cases, +17.2% compared to 2023).
99,000 tonnes of pork were purchased by Belarus from Russia in 2024 (45% of Russia’s total pork exports last year).
2,600 Belarusians received international protection in Poland in 2024.
598 Belarusian citizens were declared a national security threat by Lithuania in 2024 (1,428 in 2023).
Scandal of the Year
The incident is a consequence of Armenia’s decision in summer 2024 to suspend official contacts with Belarus as long as Lukashenko remains in power. This decision was triggered by numerous controversial statements made by the Belarusian president regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in mid-May 2024, as well as remarks about the situation in Armenia.
Figures of the month: December 2024
Over 13,000 people will take part in the Zapad-2025 joint Russian-Belarusian military exercise scheduled to be held in Belarus in September 2025, according to the official representative of the Ministry of Defence of Belarus.
Belarus ranked 167th out of 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index.
35.99% of voters cast their ballots during early voting in the presidential election, according to official data.
86.82% – this is the result officially reported by Minsk for A. Lukashenko in the presidential election.
4 hours and 25 minutes – the duration of A. Lukashenko’s press conference on election day, 26 January 2025.
30 new titles have been added to the list of banned books in Belarus.
3 to 4 "Oreshnik" missile systems per year – this is the production capacity stated by A. Lukashenko on 26 January 2025.
55 days – the duration of the "planned" maintenance of the first unit of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.
24 countries congratulated A. Lukashenko on his election victory in the first week after the vote.
31 individuals convicted under extremist articles were pardoned in Belarus in January 2025.
42.4% of the consolidated budget of Belarus for 2025 will be allocated to social spending.
15.7% decrease in total defence spending in regional budgets of Belarus is expected in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Figures of the month: November 2024
1 500 000 signatures in favour of Lukashenko's nomination as a presidential candidate were allegedly collected by his initiative group in three weeks.
62 people convicted of extremist offences were pardoned in November.
280 000 Belarusians received residence permits in the EU in 2023.
148 957 Belarusians were granted EU residence permits for humanitarian reasons in 2023.
Belarus' economic growth rate fell by 24% year-on-year in the three months of 2024 (July to October).
38 Russian kamikaze drones of the ‘Shahed’ type violated the airspace of Belarus on 24-25 November, setting an absolute daily record in the history of monitoring.