Heavy snowfalls, which occurred in the region in the past few days and were particularly intense on October 30, were brought by a southern cyclone. As a result, as of the morning of October 31, the snow cover depth increased by an average of 6-20 cm, reaching 12-26 cm.

The diligence of the people and the stability in society became the key to the successful development of the region and the country as a whole in 2012. This viewpoint was expressed by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Kosinets, when assessing the outgoing year.

All districts of the Vitebsk region have joined the sowing campaign, the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Agriculture and Food Committee informed a BELTA correspondent.

A group of dark brokers has been detained in Polotsk, the UDFR of the State Control Committee for the Vitebsk region informed a BELTA correspondent.

The Vitebskhlebprom Republican Unitary Production Enterprise will complete the implementation of two major projects in the first quarter, the chief engineer of the enterprise, Alexander Korolev, told a BELTA correspondent.

Nikolay Yurkevich from Braslav has been preserving the traditions of wooden boat building for three decades.

Nuraly Kulumbetov was drafted into the front lines in August 1942. His wife, three sons, and daughter remained in his native village of Kyzyl-Oktyabr (Kazakh SSR). The front lines led the soldier to Belarus. He died near Surazh in the winter of 1943, liberating the Vitebsk region from the Nazi invaders as part of the 306th Rifle Division.

Guests of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve will celebrate the New Year holidays in the company of Bolotnik. This fairy-tale character, the local mascot, will now entertain tourists in winter along with Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, the conservation institution reported.

Under the new Article 339-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, cruel treatment of an animal that resulted in its death or maiming, committed out of hooligan, mercenary, or other base motives, or in the presence of a minor known to the offender, is punishable by public works, or a fine, or correctional labor for up to one year, or arrest.

More than 2,000 residents and guests of the regional center visited the mobile exhibition and lecture complex of JSC "Russian Railways", which stopped in Vitebsk for two days.

Under the state program for flax cultivation development, the modernization of JSC "Postavy Flax Mill" continues. It is expected that in April, the installation of the already delivered Belgian equipment "Vanhauwaert" will take place in the new workshop, and in May – early June, its launch is planned.

In Novopolotsk, a man stole 400 lottery tickets from a kiosk and gave them away to passers-by. The unusual theft was reported by Inna Gorbacheva, the official representative of the Investigative Committee of Belarus for the Vitebsk region.

During a meeting held this week to approve the appointment of Alexander Kapsul to the position of Director of the Republican Subsidiary Unitary Enterprise for Oil Products Supply "Belorusneft-Vitebskobleneftoprodukt", the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, instructed him to ensure close interaction with the region's economic entities.