Kremlin denies reports that Lukashenko flew to Moscow to meet with Putin
Vladimir Putin's schedule does not include a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Kremlin's press service.
"There is no such meeting on the schedule," the statement reads.
Vladislav Rogimov, a political advisor to Putin’s associate Yevgeny Prigozhin, wrote, citing his sources in the Belarusian president's office, that Alexander Lukashenko secretly left Belarus and flew to Moscow for a non-public meeting with the Russian president
Earlier, Russian media reported that on Wednesday two Tu-134AK passenger planes from a special detachment of the Russian Air and Space Forces flew from Moscow to Minsk. Also, a VIP liner with the tail number RA-65992, used mainly to fly government officials, landed in Minsk.
On Sunday, Presidential elections were held in Belarus. According to preliminary data of the Central Elections Committee, the current president of the country Alexander Lukashenko received more than 80% of the votes, his opponent Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya - about 10%.
After the polling stations were closed, mass protests erupted across the country. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Minsk and more than 20 cities across Belarus. There were clashes with the security forces, who used stun grenades, water cannons and rubber bullets against the protesters.
On the evening of August 10, the Belarusian Interior Ministry reported the first death. The Belarus authorities claimed that the man allegedly unsuccessfully tried to throw an explosive device at the riot police.
The opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya left for Lithuania. Her electoral office said that her departure was organized by the Belarusian.