TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus has detained a Polish monk on suspicion of espionage, the latest escalation in Minsk’s long-running standoff with its NATO member neighbor.

Belarusian authorities said Thursday that Grzegorz Gaweł, 27, was arrested in the town of Lepel, northwest of the Belarusian capital, after he allegedly obtained sensitive documents relating to military drills involving Russia. He faces up to 15 years in prison.

Belarus, Moscow’s close and dependent ally, allowed the Kremlin to use its territory to send troops into neighboring Ukraine in 2022, and has also hosted some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. Its strongman President, Alexander Lukashenko, has ruled the country with an iron fist for more than 30 years, relying on subsidies and support from the Kremlin.

Belarusi

See Full Page