Huge crowds of Belarusian protesters on Sunday flooded the capital Minsk, urging strongman Alexander Lukashenko to quit power, defying the threat of arrest and a massive deployment of forces.
Unprecedented demonstrations broke out after Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet state for 26 years, claimed re-election with 80 percent of the vote on August 9.
On Sunday, the protesters marched towards Lukashenko's residence at the Independence Palace where they chanted"Tribunal" and"How much are you getting paid?" One protester held a portrait of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who Germany says has been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. Russia has said it will respond to any Western attempts to"sway the situation" and Mr Putin has raised the possibility of sending military support.
On Thursday, Mr Lukashenko hosted Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and said the two countries had managed to agree on issues they"could not agree earlier".Sputnik Government
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