The past weekend brought fresh developments in the ongoing political upheaval that has seized Belarus since the disputed August 9 election that granted 26-year incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term. The protests and police crackdown that followed the announcement of the landslide victory have been replaced by record-size demonstrations across cities and towns where protesters have demanded Lukashenka's resignation, unprecedented worker strikes, and public heckling of Lukashenka that was unthinkable just weeks ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered military “help” to his beleaguered counterpart, and eyewitness video, still unconfirmed, shows Russian military vehicles headed toward the border.
RFE/RL local journalists with the Belarus Service and Current Time digital network continue their on- the-ground, live, comprehensive reporting of the unprecedented situation inside Belarus, and whatever comes next. Contact them for comment:
RFE/RL experts in Prague are available for comment on the election and its aftermath:
- ALEXANDER LUKASHUK, RFE/RL Belarus Service Director (English/Belarusian/Russian) lukashuka@rferl.org -- phone: +420.221.123.276 -- Twitter: @Svaboda
- KIRYL SUKHOTSKI, RFE/RL Current Time Executive Director for News (in Prague | English/Belarusian/Russian)
sukhotskik@currenttime.tv -- phone: +420.221.123.136 -- Twitter: @CurrentTimeTv
TRACK RFE/RL’s comprehensive coverage of the election HERE
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To schedule an interview with any of RFE/RL's experts, contact Martins Zvaners (zvanersm@rferl.org; +1.202.841.7712) in Washington or Joanna Levison (levisonj@rferl.org; +420.221.122.080) in Prague.