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Early history. The Principality of Polotsk within Kievan Rus' in the 11th century. The history of Belarus begins with the migration and expansion of the Slavic peoples through Eastern Europe between the 6th and 8th centuries.
1 day ago · Until it became independent in 1991, Belarus, formerly known as Belorussia or White Russia, was the smallest of the three Slavic republics included in the Soviet Union (the larger two being Russia and Ukraine). Learn more about the history and culture of Belarus in this article.
Though Russia had long been Belarus’s main trading partner, the volume of their trade expanded in the early 21st century as Belarus experienced modest industrial growth. Many international observers were critical of the Belarusian government and of the essentially authoritarian role Lukashenko adopted beginning in 1996.
Until the formation of the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1919, Belarusian history was largely tied to the course of events in the Russian Empire and revolutionary Russia. Napoleon I, emperor of France, crossed the region in his advance on Moscow in 1812 and again during his retreat.
Sep 27, 2023 · Summary. Belarus has provided ally Russia with a major strategic advantage in that country’s war against Ukraine, although it has not been drawn into the fighting directly thus far....
History. Early 1990s. After the Soviet Union collapsed, the newly formed Russian state tried to maintain control over the post-Soviet space by creating, on 8 December 1991, a regional organization – the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the late-16th century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey, who was known for his close contacts with the Russian royal court. During the 17th century, the Russian tsars used the term to describe the lands added from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
