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The regional court in Belarus’ Homyel sentenced Ukrainian citizen Nataliia Zakharenko to nine years in prison on espionage charges, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on March 15, citing its sources and Zakharenko’s relatives. Grounds of the accusations are unclear as the trial, ongoing since Feb. 15, was held behind closed doors, the outlet said. Under dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime, the Belarusian state uses heavy repressions to crack down against its real or imagined opponents. Lukashenko is also a close ally of Russia and supports Russian aggression against Ukraine. …

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