Lukashenko says protests orchestrated by Czechia, Poland, and UK

Belarusian authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has again accused foreign countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Ukraine, of influencing protests against him. Belarus is experiencing unprecedented demonstrations for the fourth week in a row, but Lukashenko is not in a difficult situation, according to Lukashenko.

Efforts to influence the protests “come from Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Ukraine, which worries us the most,” the DPA quoted the Belarusian president.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who held talks with Lukashenko today, said Belarus should not pressure outside to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to Lukashenko, however, his country is not in a problematic situation. Only “certain people” are publicly expressing what they do not like in Belarus.

Belarusian media reported today that Lukashenko had newly occupied several key positions in the security apparatus. As the DPA writes, he did not appoint new people for them but distributed them to those he trusted.

The current head of the KGB secret police, Valery Vakulčyk, was replaced by Ivan Tertel, who was previously the head of the state control committee. Valkuchyk has again taken the lead of the Security Council and, according to Lukashenko, can unite all secret services and state bodies designed to protect the country’s legal order.

Belarus is experiencing a wave of demonstrations and strikes following the August 9 presidential election. Lukashenko has declared himself a clear winner after them, but the opposition and some countries claim that the vote was falsified.

Today, Lukashenko thanked Mishustin for Russia’s help in Minsk, “for example, in a fundamental way to stabilize the situation in the economy.” “People realized that Russia, as a brotherly country, a key partner and a market, did not turn away from us,” Lukashenko said. The DPA writes that the Belarusian economy is dependent on Russia, which supplies oil and natural gas.