From the New York Times. I'm likeable borrow this Israeli. For weeks, ten of thousands of people have been taken to the streets of Belarus to demand the resignation of their president, Alex Lukashenko. Today, my car, if only to parade go on. Europe's last dictator came to power and his fight to hold onto it it's Wednesday September, second. Even though your based in Russia in Moscow, where are you now

I'm currently in Belarus, it's a country about them, five million sandwiched between Russia and the European Union. I'm here to cover the contested real action, of the incumbent president, Zander Lukashenko in Belarus are President Alexander Lukashenko has one of the presidential vote with seventy nine point. Nine percent, according to the latest, except for His re election has inspired people to protest against him because they felt that the result that was announced. Eighty percent in his favour is totally in reality, when you ve got to get you to Dublin, I feel that international observers have now first seen any of the elections in Belarus as free and fair and today, were also widespread. Reports of violations at the ballot box so saying that he has won with more than eighty percent. Nobody gonna believe that

We see days of protests that violently crack down by focusing stay bust security service rubber bullets and stung grenades and everything during that time, Lukashenko himself is basically incline and we don't really know what is his interpretation of what has been going on, because we think that maybe he's gonna resign, and suddenly Saturday night, almost one week after Election day we learned that he will actually give a rally gathering his supporters and essential Minsk and what happens at around, So, as I come to the rally to the main independence square, walk through the size, treats that leads to it, and I see there always coach buses sparked on the sides with Group

People standing so becomes clear that people understand that many people, if not most of them, Then come there, they will And shortly enter the rally. Lukashenko himself takes this and I was very curious to see what he was about to say because after what I saw in the streets, the police used the rubber bullets to your game. Stunned, grenades, injuring mainly, and it would be just to see how he would justify it? bob, more than ever, and what you did say the opposite, wants you dead. He said that I own this country have on this people. The opposition? They are rats and their trash and their foreign bade conspirators, who just want to subvert the stability that we have

with sweat some of us I'll get it flash of what he said and remember. If you destroy percent, if it sure your first president, this will be the beginning of your end democracy goodbye, come on he was basically saying that I created your country and you should be so grateful if you should allow me to rule over you most of my life-

when, when Lukashenko says that he created Belarus, what does he mean? Is that accurate? While it is accurate and the sense, because, of course he is the person president of this country in Moscow. The hammer and sickle leave Lord for the last time, and an era comes to an end. A red flag of soviet communism still flew last weekend, but it flew over a country. That no longer exists so Belarus becomes independent and ninety nine one when the Soviet Union collapses and people euphoric about quite independence, acquiring they own flag there, and then the abyss to develop their own language but

shortly after they realise that democracy, for instance, a Dave acquired also brings cares, and this is a significant portion of the The news in the country are not only living in poverty but are barely surviving and the economy is not working well because, as the rest of the Soviet Union. The belarussian economy was a planned economy with no market with prices set up from a single sky they're from Moscow. Essentially, I now you need to transform this huge economy into a market economy and in the past there, a lot of people and others feel a lot of pain, rights and social welfare Programmes cannot even begin to keep up with a rate of inflation, because factories begin to close this. What is actually they go down by nine ninety four. They seem willing to exchange the freedoms they ve earned for, of stability that

peace to their families saw a presidential election is called the first one in the country's history and this is the time where young colleagues under shingle comes to the stage that some of its proposals, Anyone who is lukashenko in this moment as people in Belarus going to figure out what a post soviet Belarus even looks like realizing that they had craved stability. He someone comes from a very modest background million years ago. Should them from a small town in eastern deliveries, who raises quickly through the ranks to become collective farmer her and then engages in two parts. He seems to be very driven and very charismatic and people listen to him

people might seem, especially people in the villages who have suffered the most on. He attempts to talk to them directly by telling them that I can improve your lives right now I can take your lives back to where they were when you enjoyed them so much when the Soviet Union was kind of at the height of its power, and saw how do the people of Belarus respond to this campaign message. This current backward looking nostalgic soviet message. They, like it radical anti corruption say that Alexander Lukashenko is, quite frankly a win with his country's economy and rapid decline. Lukashenko has vowed to purge the top edge loans of powers and undue orkut reforms. You once the election and he quickly begins to deliver on his promises, increases people, salaries, hearings.

Uses state control over prices. The council's menu of the market economy, reforms that were introduced before him. He said spyware of government enterprises keeps them in the hands of the state, people are very happy because they feel the change immediately understand of living improved, but what people fail to notice is that the main reason why he is able to deliver them was because Russia has been subsidy rising essentially the by the russian economy through a scheme that is called oil, forgives askin, skin forgives, that's very evocative. What.

Men are basically means that Russia, being an energy super power, was essentially giving Belarus large amounts of oil that Belarus could refine and sell it to european markets. And keep the difference said by doing that. Russia was this surely trying to tie Belarus to Moscow so. Russia is using essentially free oil as a tether to this former republic and in turn Russia gets the goodwill the brotherhood heard kind of loyalty of Belarus, while also because the belarussian leader, lies is perfectly well that the well being of his country and the goodwill of his citizens depends on that whole scheme. So he realizes that his own political existence depends.

On Russia, where, in my sense, even as it during this period, the West, the United States in particular, is watching. All of you former soviet republics. Very wearily and trying to make sure that they dont slide back in. Soviet ways, and they don't get too close to Russia because they were make sure that they stay on a path towards democracy. How does that play out when it comes to Lukashenko and others? So what happens is that he realized is pretty quickly had. This kind of wariness that you have described is an asset for him that he can trade in between Russia and the west That is in dance between the two praising and criticising both and kind of alternating Gus. Russia doesn't want him to go to the west and the way

doesn't want him to go to Russia and he can benefit on that and feed does that throughout his career, muster fully, for instance, in nice, ninety six referendums over in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus. The controversy at whipped up still blows strong. He conducts a very controversial referendum. They far greater powers over parliament less afresh, vibe term of office that increases his powers dramatically. The president's said dictatorship negations groundless, basically becomes far his first step towards acquiring dictatorial powers and western powers. Ostracizing centrally and the following year, besides this union the agreement with Russia in the grand ceremony held inside the Kremlin's Grand Palace, Boris Yeltsin, stress

but the integration Treaty between Russia, a neighbouring Belarus, allows both countries retain their sovereignty. During that ceremony day, two presidents afresh indelibly Lukashenko Present Yeltsin and the time they kissed each other, which becomes this. Very symbolic moment for the two countries, Belarus President Lukashenko sorely needs economic help is countries centrally planned. Soviet style economy is an even worse shaped in Russia's Russia sees it as though it basically rebuilds its of empire. They say it's deal for both countries. The west is not so sure and the west, of course, is watching closely what is happening and becomes. Increasingly willing to accept Lukashenko.

With his new Sammy Dictatorial Power powers, because they don't want him to be completely swallowed by Russia. They want Belarus to stay an independent state, so the west becomes more willing to accept him. As he challenges there, conventions and their desires because he's seen is so powerful of orthe overtime. Pay increases his powers, He removes time limits. He stopped force, all remnants of free press. He does there's this rallies. He kills his opponents actually he killed his opponents while it is widely accepted and Belarus an internationally at Mr Lukashenko at least he was complicit in the deaths of several of his political rivals and the end of nineteen nineties. Several of his

former allies disappear on what happens now. Does that there are always allegations that she did it, Some evidence has emerged that corroborated this claims and this evidence is pretty strong. He so he is becoming more and more emboldened in this dance he's making. The west fear that he it's going to be in partnership with Russia, That means the West feels like it needs to accept it and give him what he wants and what he up wanting is more power and he's getting in yeah. That's right, but by the Maputo comes in nice. Ninety nine advising Britain is a different type of president than his predecessor, boys. Yeltsin, he's much bolder he's much more pragmatic and he wants tangible things from Lukashenko instead of just kisses instead of

Telling him that he's loyal and pushing for this is a very precarious position, because he actually cannot give beaten anything. He fears that if he actually gives beaten, for instance, right to deploy an air base in the country that what essentially cancel out his value the eyes of the West, because it would mean who just giving everything over to rush yeah and he would be get trapped in Mr Putin's hands and become his loyal servant in truth, rather than just words as it used to be before so. Lukashenko is afraid of that, but, of course, he's more afraid of Putin's apparent desire to control better is directly which would diminish his role, not only in the eyes of the west, but then the ice of his own people.

There's no need for Lukashenko if Britain is in control right, so of course she doesn't want that to happen and he's basis, you're being cornered from all sides and then we began with the growing crisis in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of Crimea, Ukraine and twenty four to Russia, Annexes the Crimea and peninsula from Ukraine. Ukraine's de Madam President, says Russia's invasion isn't just a threat, but rather a acceleration of war most of the countries around the world. Believe Russia is guilty of a major breach of international law. The annexation of crimea political crisis took an ominous turn late last week, when Russia deployed troops to Crimea effectively taking control of that part of south eastern Ukraine. Work until you look at the range of ways, we can help our ukrainian friends achieve very

Russell Rights and the security, prosperity and dignity that they deserve, and, of course by them are good, is looking for his old ally, the closest ally, actually Bellerophon a Shankar right to support him in this diary situation. After all, these years of billions of dollars send to Belarus to prop up Lukashenko regime, but he's he seems like the most natural person to call and say You speak out on behalf of Russia, even though I've just colonized part of Ukraine yeah, and this is suspect. The important because Lukashenko presents a former soviet states, so he would be someone like Ukraine approval What Russia, the Ukraine, which would make it huge symbolic difference, not just for peace. But for the whole post soviet space, so beaten waits for it.

My location, CO, refuses to recognise Crimea, Russian and she refuses to approve process actions, So in this moment, Lukashenko is clearly choosing not to stand with Russia, and if I'm puttin I'm expecting him to because this is why I have been investing in bed whose first so long for just a moment like this of course and each understand what kind of man bitterness. If some betray seem like this. He won't forget, So what is the first fur lukashenko from that decision, while Relationship between Russia and Belarus becomes increasingly sour, shot decides to reconsider the oil for kisses king in Sweden. Fifteen brushing his she's a package of reforms that would basically cancel out that's king, so that's this punishment, I would say so yes and support

pause a plug. That has been essential to this Bela Russian. It got me anything or to Lukashenko whose success, of course, because all this state enterprises lukashenko then privatized, they are still grossly inefficient. So Belarus enters into a period of sustained economic stagnation. It doesn't full of the cliff the economy but people realise that essentially the economy will never grow with this model there's no way to prop up, it's only gonna get worse, and what about the people of Belarus? How heavy responded to cushion go since the economy entered period of stagnation. People become increasingly fatigued

their country being frozen in his past? They are looking to the future the travel abroad. They want to see busting lie here if they want to see some development they want to some prospects that they can fit in that the one a few and fear to all this people than they have to deal with in the car. He's around Bela, whose Lukashenko is unable to respond to that because he himself is stuck in the soviets. So with the presidential election coming up this year, people speak began to run out there for Austria, she begins to spill over from their internal thought, and to the public life on people. Get to realise that it's time for change

all the way back. This podcast is supported by maybe the streaming service with fresh original stories that unfold in minutes quickly. It's been nominated for ten Emmy awards, including the thriller most dangerous game, starring Liam henceforth, the piercingly funny many dummy starring, any Kendrick, the topical intense drama, freeway, Sean stirrings too fond Jameson Lawrence FISH Berne and the show thing, John survive with Sophie Turner, It shows, like you, ve, never seen told in minutes download now for your free the weak trial. This is more like a drink system managing editor at the New York Times. We are, living through a moment of global uncertainty with changing so quickly. We know that journalism

while sourced fact checked journalism can play a crucial role in helping us navigated, all we're report. And the virus from more than twenty countries providing I've updates and answering pressing questions. Our joint What's a writing about how the pandemic has intensified racial inequalities in America and are falling. Protests against police violence, which have become a global civil rights movement across our newsroom, Our colleagues are also thinking about how we can adapt to the new demands of daily life, as we seek new ways to find joy coverage this, comprehensive would be impossible to accomplish without our subscribers. If you like to subscribe, good and why times, dot com, slash subscribe. I wonder if you can describe the lead up to this. Selection and your sense of when it becomes clear that the p a Belarus ruse want change. What happens is that Lukashenko,

self, is clearly unaware of the change of mood inside his own country, but some people are some people actually inside his own in a circle princesses, former ambassador to the United States before foreign minister, decides to turn on him and run against him ha as does they had all far Russia own bank, but this is just the beginning. The main thing is that their campaigns become very popular and people turn and support them in huge numbers, and apart from this

Here you have another person, popular video, blogger, yeah, Sergei to come most Gabriel. I was Cupid, bring you myself, you boy, you, his name is cigarettes. You cannot seriously concede that the presidium thing and DE travels with his camera around the country and he interviews, people who were supposed to be the power base of Lukashenko regime slaughter luxuries, namely those leaves year pugnacious soon the city, people in small towns, people at factories and all these people they ages complain endlessly about Lukashenko. Ithaca scars get alkaloids double to cause. She called him a cockroach station to kill unusual with. Currently, I need particular type of legislative me. She can see the Colosseum someone who just sucks

their blood someone to whom the heat- and they said openly. This guy applauds all this stuff from the Youtube, and this stuff gets to be very popular and he realised that it maybe he would want to run himself and he decides to run and ass. His campaign progresses. He becomes increasingly popular too so you have at least three candidates. The very popular- and this is the time I'd look a shank realise is that something is going on in this campaign is actually going to be different from all the others, and as this we can today its emerge. He sees that actually there's been some error in his vision of his own country. Instead of accepting it, he decides it just to get rid of it, So what she does is he either jails, his rivals and pleasing that Longer that has been cut

seeing the country talking to farmers or he forces them to flee the country This point is essentially running unopposed. That's what you think. But the reality proves to be more complicated with elections approaching hypes rest on this one woman shoulders. The wife of the blogger The psychological Oscar Svetlana teeth on Austria hopes that she'll be President's, have been a ruse. She decides that she will run against Mr Lukashenko, instead of her huh, We will need to deal with. I run instead of him, not because our new power, or because on the politician and want to become president and all the country now I ran to support. My husband, So how does Lukashenko treat her? He basically dismisses her as somebody who is not even worth talking about. He said

said she's, not his most powerful rival that others. Actually more threatening a man of Lukashenko. Presidential administration says that the in his office, there's no toilet for women that just the equipped that this is not a mean. They are basically trying to be very insulting and demeaning and keep basically wants to betray her as nobody and is he fundamentally right Did she doesn't pose a threat to him, while of course not because as we saw before the election day, it was the largest rarely seen inventor ruse since independence from the Soviet Union. Was able to gather thousands of people at her rallies across the country

yeah he's. Never giving people genuinely came to see her even though Belarus is a police state, a fund since, if you work for a state run company and, as you know, most of the common economy, state owned Then you risk losing your job if you appear at a position rally and the fact that people still showed up. Despite all this, risks means that they genuinely supported her and all his other candidates. That, more than three out of the country they also supported. Are. They said that she is going to be our United Opposition candidate, so they threw their support behind her back, and, apart from that, The particular think about Belarus is that force about You cannot have a pool, so they're not pause at would say what is actually looks.

Because real a pool rating by in the age of the internet. You can people's online and multiple poles have been conducted and some of them, have shown the support for Mr Lukashenko to be as low as three percent wow, so very much seems like she might be able to pull this off shore appeal to beat Lukashenko here, but happened in reality was that when the results get announced. Lukashenko gets eighty percent of the vote and of course, people realise that the whole election was just rigged. So what they do is they come out to protests on Mars? but it seems that MR a second key expected this result. But this is That's gonna happen that people will come out because, as soon

People arrive to thee. See another rally almost immediately huge armoured. Please Vance come in on the beach They are not of enjoying much their standing on sidewalks clapping, and the thing you have to realise about Mr Lukashenko of Belarus is that even if you clap in a group of five from the sidewalk, you will be detained and probably even beaten by police, and you have. This ride policemen and four year appear, the scene, but rather maidens, and they are running around the protesters? but then, with time, what I see Is that a number four

Mr Scarce, larger and larger one point even block a street and what the police dust they bring reinforcements? They bring army officers with Shields machines that are equipped with water cannons. They begin to using stand, grenades, there's this scene of complete care, and this night was the first night when hundreds of protesters were ruthlessly beaten there, beaten inside police fans, they were beaten in the trial Detention Centre and they were packed like sardines. No thirty, six people in a self equipped for four people,

they were not given water or food. It was basically a huge torture camp. Well and the scene of the crackdown. Minded me off Gluck, essentially, so the goal was to break. The spirit These protesters and I'm sure, even more so than that was to spread the word of these tactics and break the back of these protests altogether to secure people all so people wanted in there. Come out. I'm curious how the rest of the world has responded to this pretty brutal crackdown on these protestors. While the international community was just shocked by all the images there were calls to sanction Lukashenko and values. There were calls not to recognise the results of that election. In fact, the results were not recognised by the European Union,

and many other individual states. So at one point it felt like Lukashenko has been cornered and what he did is that he turned back to rising were beaten basically and publicly asking him for some, Fourth in this situation, and how does it wouldn't respond for Putin is much more beneficial to have Lukashenko so weak that he would only have. We can t rely on and thus bitten, can easily control him and make him do whatever beaten once so you didn't throw a lifeline, he didn't say anything that would directly support him, but He also condemned him and there's no way back because after what the world has seen I'll take them a long time to forget, so Lukashenko is trapped.

Trapped in Britain's hands. Even I am reminded of what Lukashenko said to the crowded that rally that you went to couple of sundays ago in that, if you get rid of me It will be the end of Belarus, but. Is what you're saying Lukashenko himself is now so tied up with so dependent on Russia that if he stays it would mean the end of Belarus at least as an independent country. While what he says is that if you get rid of. For example, there will be no Belarus, but what he means is that there will be no Lukashenko bellers. I may cease seems to be willing to sacrifice at least chunks of the belarussian independence in order to keep his own better. The flawed and so a Belarus in which he stays in power is going to be a Belarus as unmistakably aligned with

reliant upon Russia, seems like that. Yes- and Kosovo has shown no signs oh, no willingness to give up voluntarily no matter how many people come out to protest against him. The same day there was this proliferation karate. There was another valley That radio looked completely different from what? Lukashenko ready, look like I go away. Just needs peace once just honestly, ellipse. First of all, much bigger periods, be they bid.

Slowly in the belarussian history, with more than two hundred thousand people showing up against the violence, which is happening as tourism nation on them. How can this can people be beaten up and the police station? I have never seen anything like that in Belarus actually no one has ever seen anything like that in Belarus, because most people for twenty six years. They could never do anything like that. So I understand for your average listener. It might sound, I can all the people came out, and this is something but still I was extraordinary, this was a historic moment for these people. People were chancing long lived, Bela, Bruce, longline values,

basically telling him that you lukashenko wrong. You are not available, we are pillars. Even thank you very much appreciated thank her since we spoke with Eve on large. Your protest in Belarus have continued. Drawing a response from Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Who warned the country's citizens against trying to about Lukashenko. Declare that Russia has formed a special team of security officers to quote was more order in Belarus, if need be. Meanwhile, western countries and several former Soviet Republic

are seeking to impose sanctions against those meters of Belarus. In response, They called a fraudulent election, and Lukashenko crackdown on peaceful protesters, we'll be right back. This podcast is supported by quickly the streaming service with fresh original stories that unfold in minutes quickly. It's been nominated for ten Emmy awards, including the thriller most dangerous game starring Liam. Henceforth, the piercingly funny Many dummy starring in Kendrick the topical Intense drama, freeway, Sean stirrings too fond James Lawrence, FISH, Berne and the show thing John survive with Sophie Turner. It shows, like you, ve, never seen told in minutes download now for your free, the weak trial

here's. What else you need where to show our support for can notion. Wisconsin state of Wisconsin's been very good to me. I love the people, we ve done a lot for this. Data was on Tuesday President Trump defied. The way of state and local officials by travelling two canoe with consummate where he met with local law enforcement agents and tour a block of businesses destroyed? last week the unrest over the police, shooting of Jake a plague converges been ravaged by Anti police and anti. I can riots, they have been hit so hard and, as he has predicts Trump clear the aligned himself with police and forcefully criticized protesters as lawless and the In its report that the Biden campaign has reached

more than three hundred million dollars in August between his campaign, and his sheared committees with the Democratic party surpassed- previous monthly figures by candidates for both parties which of the money was raised from small donors and up, First to reflect Democrats. Enthusiasm for buying the choice of Senator commonly Harris as a running made, which had occurred during fundraising period, that's it for the daily like all borrow see tomorrow,. This podcast is supported by quickly the streaming service with fresh original stories that unfold in minutes cuban. It's been nominated for ten Emmy awards, including the thriller most dangerous game starring Liam henceforth, the piercingly funny

many dummy starring any Kendrick the topical. Intense drama, freeway, Sean stirrings too fond Jameson Lawrence, FISH, Berne and the show thing, John survive with Sophie Turner. It shows, like you, ve, never seen told in minutes download now for your free, the weak trial