How a teenage student’s music channel became a state-designated terrorist organization in Belarus
In short: Founded in 2015 by a 17-year-old, Nexta evolved from a niche YouTube music project into a critical news hub. By bypassing state-controlled internet blackouts during the 2020 protests, it became the primary source of information for millions, eventually forcing the Belarusian government to label the outlet a terrorist organization.
Nexta began as a personal project for Stsiapan Putsila, who used the platform to critique state news and document events in Belarus. The name itself is a play on the Belarusian word for 'someone' and the English 'next', signaling a new generation of media. As Putsila’s documentaries gained millions of views, the channel transitioned from a solo endeavor into a professional editorial team operating from exile in Warsaw, Poland.
The outlet’s influence peaked during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests. When the government shut down the internet and blocked independent media, Nexta’s Telegram channel provided a vital lifeline. Users submitted real-time footage of police movements and protest locations, allowing the channel to bypass state censorship. Between August 9 and 16, 2020, the subscriber count for Nexta Live surged from 300,000 to 2 million, cementing its role as a central node for the opposition.
This success triggered a severe crackdown. Belarusian authorities labeled the channel and its logo as extremist in 2020 and later declared it a terrorist organization in 2022. Key figures, including Putsila, Roman Protasevich, and Yan Rudzik, faced criminal charges. Protasevich was famously detained after his flight was diverted to Minsk in 2021, a move later condemned by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Despite the legal pressure, including lengthy prison sentences handed down in absentia to Putsila and Rudzik, Nexta continues to operate from abroad.
The outlet remains a subject of intense debate. While international bodies like the European Parliament have recognized its importance in supporting independent information, critics and state officials argue that its role in coordinating protest activities transcends traditional journalism. Regardless of the controversy, Nexta’s trajectory from a student’s YouTube channel to a geopolitical flashpoint highlights the transformative power of decentralized digital media in authoritarian environments.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Nexta
- Also: Wikidata — NEXTA · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Nexta · CC0
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