Belarus

Putin Makes First Visit to Belarus in over Three Years

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to Belarus in more than three years on Monday, using one of his few journeys outside Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion to shore up his relationship with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and pressure Belarus to pour its own troops into the Ukrainian quagmire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pose after their talks in Minsk, Belarus, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (Andrey Stasevich, Press Service of Belarusian President/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian Tennis Star Identifies as Georgian to Bypass Wimbledon Ban

Russian doubles tennis player Natela Dzalamidze found a simple solution to widespread bans against Russian players in international sports after the invasion of Ukraine: she changed her nationality to Georgian and will therefore be allowed to play at Wimbledon with her Serbian doubles partner, Aleksandra Krunic.

Natela Dzalamidze in action during the game between Natela Dzalamidze - Kaja Juvan and Aleksandra Krunic - Pattinama Kerkhove in Transylvania Open Doubles Semifinals, in BT Arena Cluj-Napoca, 30 October 2021. (Photo by Alex Nicodim/NurPhoto via Getty Images)