The Belarus Crisis - Trouble in Putin's Backyard
The growing street protests in Belarus threaten not only President Lukashenko, the country's authoritarian leader - the stakes are high for President Putin too.
The growing street protests in Belarus threaten not only President Lukashenko, the country's authoritarian leader, but also Russia's Vladimir Putin. Russia sees Belarus as a crucial buffer state against Nato and the west, and Putin fears that this kind of 'people power' could be a threat to his leadership. The growth of the opposition inside Russia itself was highlighted by the poisoning of leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, a constant thorn in the president's side.
The stakes are high for President Putin, but is he really under threat - both in his own backyard and country? And how should the west respond?
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