Support For Vladimir Putin Costly For Belarus President As He Faced Revolt: 'Joining Russian War An Act Of Pure Suicide'

Russian President Vladimir Putin's ally, Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, was facing flak at home for siding with the former in the Ukraine war.

What Happened: Lukashenko was facing the prospect of a revolt against him by his military amid growing concerns among top officers regarding Minsk's alignment with Putin's Russia and its support for the war in Ukraine, according to the Daily Express.

During a visit to Moscow on July 3, the Belarusian president told reporters that the country supported and "will continue to support Russia" in its "fight against Nazism."

The Belarusian leader emphasized that he would "remain together with fraternal Russia." His commitment did not go down well with his military officer class. In an open letter to the president, senior Special Forces officers warned against sending Belarusian soldiers to fight in Ukraine and said that such a move would amount to "pure suicide."

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"To join Russia in its fight against Ukraine would be an act of pure suicide."

In the letter, the officers accused Putin of destroying their sovereignty and denounced Kremlin's war as "totally unprovoked." They reiterated their support for Ukraine, saying the two countries had always enjoyed friendly relations.

The officers blamed Russia for seriously infringing the Clause One of the Belarus Constitution.

"According to this Clause, the Belarus Republic maintains supremacy and full authority on its own territory. It also enjoys independence over its internal and foreign politics." the letter added.

"By entering the war against Ukraine, Belarus will be evicted from the community of civilized states and will be an international outcast for many years to come."

This story was originally published on Jul. 11, 2022.

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