10 things you might not know about BELARUS

BELARUS is in the news thanks to the rogue state sending thousands of illegal migrants into the EU.

War may start at any time on its forested borders.

But where is Belarus and what are they all about?

Here are some facts:

BELARUS is officially called the Republic of Belarus. It used to be called Byelorussia and it existed between 1920 and 1922, and from 1922 to 1991, as one of 15 constituent republics of the USSR, with its own legislation from 1990 to 1991.

IT is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.

3OVER

the years it’s been ruled by the Kievan Rus ( Vikings), the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish– Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Commies, the Nazis and the Soviet Commies ( again).

IT’S now ruled by madman Alexander Lukashenko, who is president because he cheated in the last election. He’s described as Europe’s last dictator. But Mr Putin may disagree!

DURING the Second World War, 209 of Belarus’s 290 towns were totally destroyed.

ITS population is around 9.3 million.

TWO Israeli presidents were born in Belarus. Chaim Weizmann, who was elected on 16 February 1949 and served until his death on 9 November 1952, convinced the United States government to recognise the newly formed state of Israel. Shimon Peres served as the ninth President of Israel from 2007 to 2014.

BELARUS is the last country in Europe where the death penalty is still applied.

UNEMPLOYMENT is illegal in the country.

10AROUND

40% of the territory in Belarus consists of forests which are home to wolves, bison and Chernobyl mutants.