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A Belarusian dissident vanishes in Russian-controlled waters

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June 18, 2026

In 2025, Anatol Kotau got on a private yacht bound for Russia. Three hours into the journey, the Belarusian dissident stopped responding to messages. He has not been heard from since. DW investigated his dissappearence.

Last August, Belarusian dissident Anatol Kotau boarded a luxury yacht in Turkey. Its apparent destination? A country where the exiled Kotau was a wanted man. A few hours into the journey, he disappeared. It's a mystery why Kotau got on that yacht. Was he tricked? Was he led there by someone he trusted? DW teamed up with journalists from the Belarusian Investigative Center and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project to find answers.

 

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