Day: August 15, 2020
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Belarus Strongman Says Putin Ready to ‘Help Ensure Security’
President Alexander Lukashenko said Saturday that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has offered full assistance to ensure security in Belarus as thousands held peaceful protests against his rule. “To talk about the military element, we have an agreement with Russia as part of the union state and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Such situations…
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Kremlin Predicts Swift Resolution of Belarus Unrest
The Kremlin said Saturday that President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko agreed in a phone call that the “problems” in Belarus would be swiftly resolved. The phone call came after Belarus leader who claims to have won a disputed presidential election on Sunday said he needed to contact Moscow over growing protests…
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Russia Produces First Batch of Virus Vaccine: Ministry
Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after President Vladimir Putin announced it had been first in the world to approve a vaccine. Putin’s announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous…
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Belarus Leader Reaches Out to Russia as Pressure Grows
The opposition in Belarus kept up the pressure on President Alexander Lukashenko with a fresh demonstration in Minsk on Saturday, as the strongman reached out to Russia in an apparent plea for help. Some 5,000 opposition supporters gathered near a metro station in the capital where a demonstrator died during this week’s police crackdown on…
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Draniki: Out of the Belarusian Frying Pan
Belarus is almost never in the news, let alone above the fold, but this week, Russia’s near neighbor gave the coronavirus a run for its money in front-page column inches as frustrated voters took to the streets to protest fraudulent election results. With the country’s internet blocked and very few foreign correspondents accredited, grainy footage…
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Belarus Hands 32 Detained ‘Mercenaries’ Over to Russia
Russia on Friday announced the safe return of 32 of its citizens after Belarus detained them saying they were mercenaries sent to destabilize the country ahead of Sunday’s presidential election. Russia’s Prosecutor-General’s Office said in a statement that “32 Russian citizens who were earlier detained in Belarus crossed the border and are now in Russia.” …
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Russia’s Official Coronavirus Cases Continue to Slow
The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…