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Belarus leader pledges allegiance to Russia despite rift

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko delivers his speech during a state-of-the-nation address ahead of Sunday’s election in Minsk, Belarus, Tuesday. Belarus’s authoritarian leader is vowing to maintain a close alliance with Russia despite the latest tensions as he seeks a sixth term in office amid a surge of opposition protests. President Alexander Lukashenko’s comments in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of Sunday’s election contrast with his diatribes against Russia last week. (AP photo)

MINSK, Belarus — Belarus’s authoritarian president vowed to maintain a close alliance with Russia even as he blasted the country Tuesday for sending in military contractors with allegedly nefarious purposes as he campaigns to win a sixth term in office in a weekend election.

In a state-of-the-nation address ahead of Sunday’s election, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the partnership between the neighboring countries reflects historic ties.

“Russia has always been and will remain our close ally, irrespective of who takes power in Belarus or Russia,” Lukashenko said.

The pledge contrasts with Lukashenko’s diatribes against Russia following the arrest of 33 Russian contractors in Belarus last week on charges of planning to stage mass riots. Moscow has dismissed the accusations, saying the contractors were heading to another country and stayed in Belarus after missing a connecting flight at the Minsk airport.

While he spoke of preserving warm relations with Moscow, Lukashenko stood his ground on the arrested contractors, dismissing the Kremlin’s explanations as lies. He asserted the arrested individuals told investigators they were sent to Belarus and told to wait for further orders.

He alleged that another group of “militants” had been sent to southern Belarus, adding that “we will have to run through the forests to catch them, but we will get them all.” He provided no further details.

Lukashenko warned Moscow against trying to stoke tensions in the country he has led for 26 years, saying that instability could spread across the border and engulf Russia.

“It will explode in such a way that it would reverberate all the way to Vladivostok,” he said, referring to Russia’s far eastern port city.

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