Putin Waits to Gain From Volatile Ally Fighting Election Battle
- Belarus leader faces tough opposition challenge at vote Sunday
- Putin has been pressing Lukashenko to accept more integration
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Facing an unprecedented challenge as he bids to win a sixth term as president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has resorted to lashing out at Russia to try to rally public support going into Sunday’s election. Vladimir Putin may not let him savor victory for long.
Having angered Russia by resisting demands for deeper political and economic integration, Lukashenko further inflamed tensions last week with claims of a coup plot after 33 alleged Russian mercenaries were detained near the capital, Minsk.