We investigate corruption, uncover fake news and analyze the news agenda. The BIC is a member of the global network of investigative journalists.
Our journalists are the recipients of the national award “Free Word” from the Association of Journalists of Belarus in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. At "Free Word" 2021 BIC’s team also received first place for Analytics
BIC is a member of the OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project)
We are also members of GIJN (Global Investigative Journalism Network)
'Almost All Cars Crossing the Lithuanian-Belarusian Border Are Lithuanian.' Words by RT Reporter Fact-Checked
The Weekly Top Fake team investigated the situation at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.
A pro-government Russia Today correspondent appeared to falsely claim about the Lithuania-Belarus border crossing. In light of the visa-free regime for Europeans in Belarus, Konstantin Pridybailo stated, Lithuanian-registered cars dominate the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, with very few from Belarus. The Weekly Top Fake team found flaws in Pridybailo’s data analysis.
On December 6, Konstantin Prydybailo, a correspondent for the pro-government media outlet Russia Today, discussed Lithuanians' enthusiasm for traveling to Belarus with host Grigory Azarenok during an interview on the program “Azarenok. Directly.”
“They enter Belarus without visas, fill up their tanks, buy extra fuel cans, and make a profit of 50 to 80 euros per trip. Then, they siphon the fuel to sell to their fellow countrymen. <...> That’s the business now. Just the other day, a friend of mine counted 40 cars at the Lithuania-Belarus border. Two or three cars, maybe five at most, were from Belarus. The rest were all Lithuanians,” Pridybailo stated.
The Weekly Top Fake team investigated the situation at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. At the Medininkai-Kameni Log checkpoint, journalists observed a small queue on the morning of December 18. They counted 27 vehicles with EU registration plates, most of which were Lithuanian, and an additional 23 cars with Belarusian plates.
According to official statistics from the State Border Committee, the number of Lithuanians traveling to Belarus is decreasing. Since the visa-free regime was implemented in April 2022, approximately 583,000 Lithuanian citizens have visited Belarus. The statistics show 249,165 visits in 2022, 245,524 in 2023, and fewer than 90,000 by mid-December 2024.
The decline in travel can be linked to the closure of four of the six border crossings between the two nations, along with advisories from Lithuanian authorities discouraging citizens from traveling to Belarus due to safety concerns.
According to data from the Lithuanian border service, Belarusians cross into Lithuania more often than Lithuanians cross into Belarus. In 2023, 66% of border crossings were made by Belarusian citizens.
