Roman Protasevich
1995 – PresentOpposition journalist and blogger who was arrested in 2021 after his flight was diverted to Minsk in a controversial international incident.
Famous People from Belarus
41 notable historical figures from Belarus, including leaders, artists, scientists, and other influential people.
Belarus has produced 41 notable figures, with 11 politicians, and 6 individuals each in tennis and athletics. Prominent political figures include President Alexander Lukashenko, who has led the country since 1994, and opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a key figure in the 2020 presidential election protests. Nobel Prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich brought international recognition through her investigative journalism, earning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature. Human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Tennis stars Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Grand Slam champion, and Aryna Sabalenka are top-ranked professional players. Other notable contributors include chess grandmaster Boris Gelfand, footballer Aliaksandr Hleb, and filmmaker Sergei Aleinikov, showcasing Belarus's cultural and intellectual contributions.
tennis player (6)athletics competitor (6)economist (5)politician (5)journalist (3)engineer (3)biathlete (3)singer (3)association football player (2)composer (2)
Svetlana Alexievich
1948 – PresentBelarusian journalist and oral historian who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature for her documentary style works about Soviet and post-Soviet life.
Alexander Lukashenko
1954 – PresentBelarusian politician who has served as President of Belarus since 1994, making him Europe's longest-serving head of state.
Maryja Kaleśnikava
1982 – PresentFlautist and opposition politician who became a prominent leader in the 2020 Belarusian protests before being imprisoned by authorities.
Max Mirnyi
1977 – PresentProfessional tennis player who achieved world No. 1 ranking in doubles and won numerous Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles titles.
Victoria Azarenka
1989 – PresentProfessional tennis player who achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 1 and won two Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich
1994 – PresentBelarusian professional tennis player who achieved a career-high WTA singles ranking of 30 in 2018.
Aryna Sabalenka
1998 – PresentProfessional tennis player who has won multiple Grand Slam singles titles and reached world No. 1 ranking.
Natasha Zvereva
1971 – PresentFormer professional tennis player who won 12 Grand Slam doubles titles and achieved world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles.
Olga Govortsova
1988 – PresentBelarusian professional tennis player who reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of 35 in 2011.
Ales Bialiatski
1962 – PresentHuman rights activist and founder of the Viasna Human Rights Centre who was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize while imprisoned in Belarus.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
1982 – PresentBelarusian opposition leader who ran against Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election and now leads the pro-democracy movement from exile.
Aliaksandr Hleb
1981 – PresentProfessional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder for clubs including Arsenal and Barcelona, and captained the Belarus national team.
Boris Gelfand
1968 – PresentChess grandmaster who was World Championship runner-up in 2012 and has represented both Belarus and Israel in international competitions.
Stanisław Šuškievič
1934 – 2022Nuclear physicist who became Belarus's first head of state after independence, serving as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 1991 to 1994.
Vasil Bykaŭ
1924 – 2003Acclaimed writer known for his war novels and short stories that depicted the harsh realities of World War II and Soviet life.
Darya Domracheva
1986 – PresentBiathlete who won four Olympic gold medals and became one of the most successful athletes in her sport's history.
Dmitry Koldun
1985 – PresentBelarusian singer and multi-instrumentalist who represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.
Viačasław Kiebič
1936 – 2020Belarusian economist and politician who served in various government positions before his death in 2020.
Andrej Kabjakow
1960 – PresentBelarusian economist who served as the 8th Prime Minister of Belarus from 2014 to 2018.
Michaił Miasnikovič
1950 – PresentEconomist and politician who has served as Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission since 2012.
Aleksandr Medved
1937 – 2024Soviet-era Belarusian freestyle wrestler who won three Olympic gold medals and seven world championships before his death in 2024.
Yuriy Vashchuk
1983 – PresentBelarusian singer and composer known for his pop music and work as a music arranger.
Ksenia Sitnik
1995 – PresentBelarusian singer who won Junior Eurovision in 2005 at age 10 and later became a television presenter.
Vitaly Scherbo
1972 – PresentArtistic gymnast who won six gold medals at the 1992 Olympics, the most by any athlete at a single Summer Games.
Aliaksandra Herasimenia
1985 – PresentOlympic swimmer who won silver medals at the 2012 Olympics and became an opposition activist following the 2020 Belarusian protests.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya
1996 – PresentSprinter who sought asylum in Poland during the 2021 Olympics after refusing orders to return to Belarus following criticism of her coaches.
Zinaida Kupriyanovich
2002 – PresentSinger and actress who has gained popularity in Belarus and represented the country in various international music competitions.
Nadzeya Ostapchuk
1980 – PresentBelarusian shot putter who won Olympic gold in 2012, though later stripped due to doping violations.
Siarhiej Rumas
1969 – PresentEconomist who served as Prime Minister of Belarus from 2018 to 2020, overseeing economic policy during a challenging period.
Raman Hałowčanka
1973 – PresentBelarusian diplomat who has served in various government positions including roles in banking and international relations.
Sergei Aleinikov
1961 – PresentFormer footballer who played as a midfielder for the Soviet Union national team and later became a football coach in Belarus.
Nadezhda Skardino
1985 – PresentBelarusian biathlete who won Olympic bronze in 2018 and multiple World Championship medals in her career.
Alyona Lanskaya
1985 – PresentPop singer who represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song 'Solayoh'.
Dzinara Smolskaya
1996 – PresentBelarusian biathlete who competes internationally in cross-country skiing and rifle shooting events.
Ivan Tsikhan
1976 – PresentBelarusian hammer thrower who won silver at the 2008 Olympics and multiple World Championship medals.
Nadine Koutcher
1983 – PresentBelarusian opera singer born in 1983 who performs classical vocal repertoire in international opera houses.
Siarhiej Sidorski
1954 – PresentPolitician and engineer who served as Prime Minister of Belarus from 2003 to 2010 during a period of economic growth.
Alina Talay
1989 – PresentBelarusian hurdler specializing in the 100-meter hurdles who competed at multiple Olympic Games.
Yulia Nestsiarenka
1979 – PresentBelarusian sprinter who won Olympic gold in the 800 meters at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Andrei Mikhnevich
1976 – PresentBelarusian shot putter who won World Championship gold in 2005 and competed at three Olympic Games.
Related Data
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current president of Belarus?
Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus since 1994. He is a well-known political figure and has held office for nearly three decades.
Are there any famous tennis players from Belarus?
Yes, Belarus has produced successful tennis players such as Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka. Both have achieved top rankings in professional tennis and won major international tournaments.
Has anyone from Belarus won a Nobel Prize?
Yes, Svetlana Alexievich won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015 for her documentary-style books about Soviet and post-Soviet life. She is a Belarusian journalist and writer known for her oral history works.