Armed men raid Minsk offices of Yandex and Uber

Unidentified armed men blocked entry and exit into Yandex’s office in Minsk on Thursday, sources told the news agencies TASS and The Bell, which company representatives later confirmed to Meduza. The Russian tech giant employs roughly 120 people in Minsk, most of whom are now working remotely.

Armed law enforcement also raided the Minsk office of the ride-hailing company Uber, reported the news outlets Euroradio and RBC.

• Belarus has witnessed major protests since the country’s presidential election concluded on August 9. According to the official vote tally, long-time incumbent Alexander Lukashenko won a landslide victory, though the opposition has refused to accept the results. Riot police have violently suppressed demonstrations and arrested almost 7,000 people, with more than 250 protesters ending up in the hospital. One person died at a rally in Minsk and a second protester died in Gomel after being arrested. Prosecutors have opened more than 20 felony cases against demonstrators for rioting, disorderly conduct, and violence against police officers.