Putin Stated Lukashenko Readiness to Provide Military Assistance

Kremlin claims Belarus is pressed by outside forces In a telephone conversation with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that, if necessary, Moscow is ready to provide assistance within the framework of collective security treaty, the Kremlin informed. The same report notes that Belarus is under pressure from outside, but it is not specified who exerts this pressure. Street protests go on in Belarus for a week; the participants accuse Lukashenko of rigging the August 9th presidential elections’ results.