Mass protests, hijacked planes, and Chernobyl children: Sveta leads Belarus charge for change 

Political unrest is nothing new for Belarusians but a challenge to Alexander Lukashenko’s 26-year reign by reluctant leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is raising hopes that the former Soviet state is on the cusp of true change. Maresa Fagan examines the Irish connections with Belarus

Belarusian opposition supporters light their smartphones as they gather at Independence Square with the government building in the background in Minsk. Writing from exile in Lithuania last week, Sveta pledged that mass demonstrations would continue. Picture: AP Photo/Sergei Grits

Last summer saw thousands of Belarusians chant her name on the streets of Minsk. But Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, or Sveta, is now hundreds of miles away, exiled in Lithuania.

The 37-year-old mother of two has garnered significant support to challenge Alexander Lukashenko, 66, often referred to as Europe's last dictator.