LUKASHENKO’S LESSON FOR PUTIN

SOURCE: KREMLIN.RU

26 August 2020 LUKASHENKO’S LESSON FOR PUTIN

Vladimir Putin and his aides are keeping an eye on the events in Belarus as Russian officials feel concern over their interests in the neighboring country as well as wonder about political future at home. Lukashenko’s current headache might be a lesson for Vladimir Putin.

The Belarusian dictator made a dreadful mistake, allowing independent candidates to run for office. Probably he thought a staged election campaign and his victory over a real candidate would boost his ranks in the West in what could furnish him a tool to reinforce his position in ties with Moscow. With how the events played out, he lost much in the East whilst winning nothing in the West. Lukashenko seems to have much centered on geopolitics, thus neglecting Belarusian society. He could have believed in his propaganda messages, thinking many Belarusians would not vote for Tikhanovskaya whilst public protests with no leaders would not be as powerful. In Russia, Khabarovsk protesters