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☆ Lukashenko undermines Putin’s Ukraine claim on Moscow concert hall attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko appears to have cast doubt on Russia’s claims that Ukraine was involved in the brutal attack at a Moscow concert hall last week. Putin on Saturday claimed that a “window” had been prepared for the attackers to escape to Ukraine, which Kyiv has denied. But Lukashenko, one of Putin’s most loyal allies, on Tuesday appeared to contradict the Kremlin’s claims, saying that the attackers initially intended to enter Belarus rather than Ukraine. Putin lights a candle on Sunday in memory of victims of the Crocus City Hall attack. Shamil Zhumatov/ReutersA total of 11 people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the concert hall, Russian officials said.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Lukashenko, …, ” Lukashenko, Belta, “, Alexander Bortnikov, Putin “, Dalerdzhon, Shamil Zhumatov, It’s Organizations: CNN, Belarusian, ISIS, Saturday, Kyiv, Crocus City, Central, Monday, Putin, Russia’s Federal Security Services, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Belarus, “, Belarusian, Russia, Crocus, Tajikistan, Russia’s Bryansk, Kremlin, Bryansk, Basmanny

☆ Alexander Lukashenko: Belarus’ president to stand for re-election in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Robbert Iddiols | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he will run for another term in elections set to be held in 2025, a move likely to extend the long rule of a key ally of Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko, while speaking to journalists at a polling station after voting in parliamentary and local council elections, was asked whether he planned to stand in the next contest. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, will be confident of winning again, with votes in Belarus widely seen as neither free nor fair. The last presidential vote, in 2020, triggered riots when preliminary results showed Lukashenko had won in a landside victory. Tihkhanovskaya demanded a recount after the country’s Central Election Commission announced Lukashenko had won with 80.23% of the vote, while Tikhanovskaya stood at 9.9%.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, “, ”, BelTA, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, “ Lukashenka, Putin, –, “ Europe’s, ” Lukashenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s Wagner, Tihkhanovskaya, Tikhanovskaya Organizations: CNN, Belarusian, Belarus –, Russian, Observers, Commission Locations: Belarusian, Belarus, Ukraine, Soviet, Kyiv, Moscow

☆ Belarus President Lukashenko says by arming Ukraine, US is "pushing" Russia "towards using" nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Mariya Knight | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday that by arming Ukraine, the United States is pushing Russia toward using nuclear weapons. “I am getting the impression – I say again that it is my opinion – that Americans are pushing Russians toward using the most terrifying weapon. Lukashenko added that if such a missile struck Russian territory, Moscow would have to respond. Otherwise, why do we need these (nuclear) weapons for?,” Lukashenko said. He claimed US President Joe Biden could use a Ukrainian victory on the battlefield to boost his approval rating.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, “, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelensky, ” Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Russia “, Vladimir Putin, Vyacheslav Volodin, Ukraine “, Zelensky, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: CNN, Belarusian, Russian, State Duma, Comprehensive Locations: Ukraine, United States, Russia, Brest, Moscow, State

CNN —Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he warned Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin twice to watch out for threats to his life. “The first time was when I phoned him and negotiations (were taking) place while they were marching on Moscow,” Lukashenko told reporters in comments carried by Belarusian state news agency Belta on Friday. The Belarusian president said he suggested to Prigozhin that he could talk with Putin and “guarantee full security” in Belarus if he was concerned for his security, Belta reported. On Friday, the Kremlin said that examinations including genetic testing were underway to determine whether Prigozhin was killed in Wednesday’s plane crash. Russian authorities have yet to officially confirm Prigozhin’s death but have acknowledged the plane crash in public comments.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, “, ” Lukashenko, Belta, ‘ Yevgeny, ‘, Prigozhin, Dmitriy Utkin, Prigozhin’s, Putin, Vladimir, Utkin, ’ it’s Putin Lukashenko, Lukashenko, ” Organizations: CNN, Belarusian, Kremlin, Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, Pentagon Locations: Moscow, Belarusian, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Prigozhin

CNN —Belarus would be willing to use the nuclear weapons given by close ally Russia in the face of foreign “aggression,” President Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday, as tensions rise around the country’s borders with NATO nations. In June, Russian nuclear warheads were reportedly delivered to Belarus for “deterrence,” according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. We will use the entire arsenal of our weapons for deterrence.”“We didn’t bring nuclear weapons here in order to scare someone,” he added. “Yes, nuclear weapons represent a strong deterring factor. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Belta, Lukashenko, “, ”, Wagner, Putin, ” “ Putin, ” Lukashenko, Ukraine Lukashenko, –, Viktor Yanukovych – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Latvia –, US Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, European Union Locations: Belarus, Russia, Minsk, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, NATO, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Latvia – Belarus, Europe, “, Polish, Crimea, Crimean

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is not even in Belarus, Lukashenko told CNN – he is in Russia, Lukashenko claimed. Available satellite imagery has also not shown any signs of the kind of preparations and security that would be standard at a Russian nuclear facility. Russia has the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, with 4,477 deployed and reserve nuclear warheads, including around 1,900 tactical nuclear weapons, according to the Federation of American Scientists. “Putin does not need tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus to use those weapons,” Bergmann added. “But it is concerning to the US that tactical nuclear weapons could potentially be co-located in Belarus with Wagner fighters.

Persons: Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, CNN –, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Max Bergmann, “ Putin, ” Bergmann, Lukashenko’s, Alexander Nemenov, Angela, Prigozhin, Leonid Kasinsky, ” Lukashenko Organizations: CNN, Wagner Group, Wagner PMC, Federation of American Scientists, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Directorate of, Ministry of Defense, Soviet Union, Experts, NATO, European Union, Lithuanian President’s Communication, Georgetown University, Kremlin, Wagner, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: Russia, Europe, Belarus, Russian, Minsk, Belarusian, Tsel, Soviet, Vilnius, Lithuania, AFP, Poland, Belarus US, St . Petersburg

Lukashenko put a gulf of distance between himself and Prigozhin the Wagner boss when he said that neither Prigozhin nor his mercenaries were in Belarus, and it was unclear if they would ever move here. One of the final straws for Prigozhin’s longstanding tensions with the Russian Defense Ministry was the insistence that Wagner mercenaries sign contracts with the Russian government; Prigozhin refused. But on Thursday, Lukashenko insisted that were Wagner to come to Belarus, its mercenaries would have to sign documents with Belarus’ government. Just as we were learning that Prigozhin was in Russia, not Belarus, Russian state media released images from a reported police raid on Prigozhin’s office and residence in St. Petersburg. Yevgeny Prigozhin was last seen in public leaving Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don on June 24.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, it’s, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, Prigozhin, ” Lukashenko, ”, Prigozhin’s, Dmitry Peskov, Putin, Vladimir Putin, “ Organizations: Belarus CNN, CNN, Russian Defense Ministry, Belarus ’, Anadolu Agency, Getty Locations: Minsk, Belarus, St Petersburg, Moscow, Russia, Russian, St . Petersburg, Rostov

Prigozhin had reportedly traveled to Belarus as part of a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the failed uprising, but Lukashenko told CNN’s Matthew Chance that the Wagner leader is now in Russia. Prigozhin has not been seen in public since June 24 when he left Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia. “I don’t think that Wagner will rise up somewhere and turn its guns against the Belarusian authorities and the Belarusian state,” Lukashenko said. Until recently, Russian state television lionized Wagner’s operations in Ukraine, but the outlets now appear to be vilifying the founder of the private military company following the failed uprising. Russian state television often airs dramatic footage of what are described as raids by security services and foiled terrorist plots.

Persons: Belarus CNN — Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, CNN’s Matthew Chance, Wagner, ” Lukashenko, ”, Prigozhin’s, Were Wagner Organizations: Belarus CNN, CNN, Weapons, “, Kremlin Locations: Minsk, Belarus, Belarusian, Russia, Rostov, Vesti, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Ukraine

Atlanta/Hong Kong CNN —Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has invited Wagner Group mercenaries to his country to train its military. The Wagner leader was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don last Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow. Media group shut downLukashenko’s speech came as a Russian media group associated with Prigozhin shut down its operations. Russian state media TASS reported Friday that the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor has restricted access to media sites belonging to Patriot. Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company Wagner, had recently held the position of deputy head of the Patriot’s supervisory board.

Persons: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, defusing, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Putin, Prigozhin, Don, Yevgeny Zubarev, Zubarev Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Wagner Group, Belarus ’, European Union, Media, Prigozhin’s Patriot, Federal News Agency, People’s, Economy, Politics, TASS Locations: Atlanta, Hong Kong, Belarus, Belarusian, Moscow, Russian, United States, Poland, “, Russia, Ukraine, Rostov, Minsk, Nevskiye Novosti

☆ Live updates: Russia's war in Ukraine, Wagner Group insurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | Jason Hanna | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Alexander Lukashenko delivers a speech in Minsk, Belarus, on June 27. Lukashenko on Tuesday described his view of the negotiations that led to Prigozhin ending his march towards Moscow, and said the oligarch is now in Belarus per the deal. Let’s talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.”Lukashenko — a longtime ally of the Russian President — said Putin told him: “Listen, Alex, it’s useless. There were 10 times more swear words (I later analyzed them) than normal vocabulary,” Lukashenko added, describing his interactions with a foul-mouthed Prigozhin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to reach the deal, which would also see Wagner troops and equipment absorbed by the Russian military.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, Putin, ” Lukashenko —, —, Alex, ”, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin, Read Organizations: Press Service, Reuters Locations: Minsk, Belarus, Republic of Belarus, Reuters Belarus, Russian, Russia, Moscow, “

☆ Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Belarus following armed rebellion, Lukashenko says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Katharina Krebs Paul P. Murphy Natasha Bertrand Jennifer Hansler Helen Regan | Katharina Krebs | Paul P. Murphy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“I want everyone to know about this: the maintenance of the entire Wagner group was fully provided for by the state,” Putin claimed. “In terms of nuclear weapons, most of them were already brought to Belarus, I won’t say how many. It’s surprising that they didn’t trace it,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarus state media. “Russians and Belarusians are guarding it… No Wagner fighters will guard nuclear weapons. This is our task.”If Lukashenko’s remarks are correct, it would be the first time Belarus has had nuclear weapons on its territory since the early 1990s.

Persons: CNN — Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, “, ” Lukashenko, hasn’t, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, BlackSky, ” Putin, Putin’s, ” “, Brian Nelson, ’ Wagner, Lukashenko, CNN Lukashenko –, –, ” Wagner, Prigozhin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Federal Security Service, Defense Ministry, Prigozhin, European Union, Wagner, US Treasury Department, Wagner Group, Central African, Treasury, Belarus ‘ Locations: Belarus, Rostov, Belarusian, Minsk, Moscow, Russian, Concord, Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, Central African Republic, Mali, United States, Luhansk, Russia

CNN —Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko claims he convinced Russian leader Vladimir Putin not to “destroy” the Wagner group and its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, talking up his role in halting the mercenaries’ military insurrection that caused crisis in Russia at the weekend. Let’s talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.”Lukashenko – a longtime ally of the Russian President – said Putin told him: “Listen, Alex, it’s useless. There were 10 times more swear words (I later analyzed them) than normal vocabulary,” Lukashenko added, describing his interactions with a foul-mouthed Prigozhin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to reach the deal, which would also see Wagner troops and equipment absorbed by the Russian military. Lukashenko said Tuesday that Prigozhin has received his personal assurances of safety, and the safety of his men, in order to defuse the rebellion on Saturday evening.

Persons: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, Putin, ” Lukashenko –, –, Alex, ”, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu –, “ Organizations: CNN, Federal Security Service Locations: Belarus, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Belarusian, Minsk

☆ Putin strives to reassert control after Wagner mutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For two days after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin called off his abortive mutiny, Russian President Vladimir Putin said nothing in public. Putin thanked security forces at the Kremlin Tuesday, for helping Russia to avoid "civil war." “Putin values loyalty above all else,” Dmitri Alperovitch, a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, told CNN. Lukashenko claimed he told Prigozhin that he would be “crushed like a bug” if he continued his advance towards Moscow, and persuaded him to call of the mutiny. Now that the dust has settled after a chaotic weekend, Putin is attempting to project an image of control.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin, ”, Putin, clement, Sergei Guneev, Dmitri Alperovitch, Kirill Shamiev, ” Shamiev, Shamiev, Roman Romokhov, they’ve, ’, Alexander Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Alexander Ermochenko, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Sputnik, Homeland Security Advisory, European Council, Foreign Relations, Don, Getty, Federal Security Service, Novosti, Reuters Locations: Russian, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Rostov, AFP, Kremlin

☆ Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko offers nuclear weapons to nations willing 'to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Mariya Knight Uliana Pavlova Helen Regan | Mariya Knight | Uliana Pavlova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that nations who are willing “to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus” will be given nuclear weapons, days after confirming the transfer of some tactical nuclear weapons from Moscow to Minsk had begun. “Join the Union State of Belarus and Russia. It was not clear how wide Lukashenko’s invitation to join the Union State extended, and he offered no other specifics. Tactical nuclear weapons are smaller than strategic nuclear weapons – which can decimate entire cities – and are designed for use in a limited battlefield. Strong condemnationsThe United States and the European Union, as well as opposition leaders in Belarus, have denounced the move to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has a warning for the West: Do not push Russian President Vladimir Putin into a corner. Russia has nuclear weapons for a reason and crossing Putin’s “red lines” in Ukraine would be a mistake, the strongman and close Kremlin ally said in an exclusive interview Friday. And you don’t need nuclear weapons. Russia will cope without them.”The Kremlin has stoked growing nuclear fears as its military retreats on the battlefield and disquiet grows at home. “If nuclear weapons are used even by one country, it will cause a chain reaction.

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