A social media designation has triggered a diplomatic clash, with Kyiv warning that Minsk is copying Moscow’s methods to silence critical voices.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is demanding that the Belarusian authorities reverse their decision to designate the Instagram account of Yaroslav Chornogor, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Belarus, as “extremist material.” Kyiv is also calling on Minsk to review similar restrictions imposed on several European Union projects.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on X that such decisions are an attempt by the Belarusian authorities to restrict citizens’ access to independent information and silence critical voices.

The Lukashenko regime is afraid of its own shadow. Minsk is trying to silence independent voices by designating the Instagram account of Yaroslav Chornogor, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Belarus, as “extremist material.”

– Heorhii Tykhyi

Ukraine and the EU Demand Belarus Lift the Restrictions

According to Heorhii Tykhyi, the decision regarding Yaroslav Chornogor’s page follows actions by the Belarusian authorities against the EU-supported EUvsDisinfo project, the SALT and “Education for Belarusians” programmes, as well as Lithuania’s Central Project Management Agency.

The spokesperson for Ukraine’s foreign ministry stressed that Minsk is using an approach similar to Moscow’s: attempting to suppress dissent and intensify the atmosphere of fear in Belarusian society.

We join the EU in demanding the immediate reversal of these decisions, the provision of free access to information for Belarusians, and an end to repression. We call for increased pressure on both regimes, which continue to threaten European security.

– Heorhii Tykhyi

Yaroslav Chornogor’s Appointment

On May 15, Yaroslav Chornogor was appointed Ukraine’s ambassador-at-large for democratic transformation, engagement with democratic forces, and national movements in unfriendly countries. Ukraine insists that Belarus must end its repressive practices and guarantee Belarusians free access to information.