Protest in Belarus: Lukashenko turns to Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko meet at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, February 15, 2019 (photo illustration). Sergei Chirikov / Pool via REUTERS / File Photo

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In Belarus, as the protest movement against Alexander Lukashenko continues, the Belarusian president is now turning to Moscow, after accusing him of meddling during the presidential campaign.

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The announcement of a sixth term at the head of the country does not pass. Faced with an unprecedented protest movement since coming to power in 1994, Alexander Lukashenko is feverish. Again this Saturday, at the beginning of the afternoon, thousands of people converged on a metro station in western Minsk, to pay homage to a man who was killed nearby during a demonstration.

More and more isolated, Alexander Lukashenko spoke with the Russian president that same day,reports our correspondent in Moscow, Étienne Bouche.  "  The presidents discussed the current situation inside and outside  " Belarus , Belta agency said. The Belarusian president wished to evoke the "  threat  " targeting, according to him, his country and "  all our region  ".

► To read also : The wind of revolution is still blowing in Belarus

During the campaign, Alexander Lukashenko had nevertheless pointed out the Russian threat in internal affairs. Minsk had announced the arrest of 33 mercenaries from the paramilitary group Wagner, considered close to the Kremlin. The men were released on Friday and returned to Russia.

Lukashenko turns to Moscow

Now, therefore, all seems forgiven. The Belarusian president has designated new threats to national security: he accuses Poland, the Netherlands, but also Alexeï Navalny and Mikhaïl Khodorkovski, two opponents of the Kremlin. According to Alexander Lukashenko, his country is facing a "  color revolution  ", the name given to several uprisings in the former USSR over the past 20 years, with "  elements of external interference  ".

Condemned by the Europeans , the strong man of Minsk therefore relies on his traditional alliance with Moscow. It remains to be seen whether the Kremlin will come to his aid. The fall of a president overthrown by his population would of course send a very bad signal to Russia, but an infrequent situation, on this issue the Russian political class does not speak with one voice. The European Union has announced the imminent adoption of sanctions against Belarusian officials.

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  • Belarus
  • Russia
  • Alexander Lukashenko
  • Vladimir Poutine

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