The Lukashenka regime has taken another step in its policy by releasing yet another U
S. citizen from a Belarusian prison. This occurred amid extremely tense political and diplomatic relations between Minsk and Washington, which have now acquired a new sharpness. According to official sources, U.S. citizen Yuriy Zenkovich, who was held in a Belarusian detention center, has been released from prison. An official statement regarding this, citing sources from "European Truth" and information from American media CNN, asserts that he was freed a few days ago. From a prison in Belarus, he was transported to Lithuania, where U.S. representatives, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Chris Smith, were already waiting for him. It is extremely important to note that this fact was not part of a prisoner exchange, which makes it an especially stern demonstrative gesture by the Belarusian authorities—concealed from the wider public amid the political games between the two countries. It is worth emphasizing that Zenkovich’s arrest took place back in 2021 on Russian territory, where he was detained and subsequently brought to Minsk. There, he was accused of conspiracy, allegedly plotting an assassination attempt on the country's President, Alexander Lukashenko. The official version from Belarusian law enforcement claimed that his actions purportedly aimed to destabilize the situation within the country with support from across the ocean. Eight officials stressed that the charges were based on statements and readiness for sabotage, which sparked widespread resonance in international circles regarding political repression and the use of justice for internal purposes by the regime. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, the dropping of charges and Zenkovich’s release were not part of a formal prisoner exchange between Belarus and the U.S. This can be regarded as an act of goodwill or a diplomatic gesture by the Belarusian authorities amid current negotiations and efforts to improve bilateral relations. After Zenkovich’s release, he was escorted to Lithuania, the state’s border, where a team of U.S. diplomats and high-ranking officials was already waiting for him. Reportedly, among them was Chris Smith, who personally oversaw the process. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially confirmed the release of the U.S. citizen but cautiously refrained from disclosing names and details. Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN, Zenkovich’s wife, Olena Denysovets, shared that her husband survived and is returning home after 1,480 days of uncertainty and fear. “I knew this day would come. It took over five years, but he managed to survive and return to me and America,”—she said, making her words a symbol of the triumph of human endurance and diplomatic perseverance. What is the background of this prolonged process? Reports indicate that in February 2025, Chris Smith conducted a secret visit to Belarus, during which he supposedly negotiated the expulsion from the country of possible political prisoners, including another U.S. citizen and two other individuals who had been imprisoned for political reasons. Some media claim that U.S. representatives and the Belarusian regime discussed the possibility of easing sanctions in exchange for the release of prisoners, which at that time remained one of the most mysterious political moves. This situation raises even more questions about the aims and conditions of such negotiations, especially considering the evident tension and uncertainty in relations between Washington and Minsk. What is truly behind these diplomatic maneuvers? Has this marked the beginning of a new chapter in Belarusian-American relations, or is it merely a tactical victory for Lukashenka’s regime in diplomatic games with the outside world? These questions remain open, amid the signing of secret but quite significant diplomatic agreements that could potentially be part of broader geopolitical intrigues surrounding the Lukashenka regime and its relations with the West. For Belarusian authorities, which have been under sanctions and international isolation for a long time, each step toward easing or intensifying external pressure is a strategic challenge that could shift the power balance in the region in unexpected ways.