Anatol Kotau, a former Belarusian diplomat and activist, disappeared in August 2025 after being seen on a yacht. Investigations by Deutsche Welle suggest he was apprehended by the Russian Coast Guard. Kotau had previously been sentenced in absentia to 12 years imprisonment by a Belarusian court. The reasons for his initial yacht trip and subsequent detention remain unclear. This incident raises concerns about the safety of Belarusian dissidents living abroad. The Russian government has not yet officially commented on the reports of his detention. Kotau’s disappearance follows a pattern of crackdowns on opposition figures by the Belarusian regime.