Russia’s motives for propping up Lukashenko have less to do with politics than you think

The situation in Belarus becomes much clearer when looked at through the lens of being a huge business affair, writes Vladislav Inozemtsev

Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus (Tass)

Last Sunday, Belarus witnessed the largest rally against long-time dictator Alexander Lukashenko since highly contested presidential elections were held on 9 August. 100,000 people in front of the presidential palace demanded that the ruler step down, thus complicating Russia’s goal of keeping him in place – an objective Vladimir Putin is still trying to meet.

While Moscow might be inclined to let the Belarusian dictator go because there are anti-Russian politics at play (as it did with Serzh Sargsyan, the former leader of Armenia, after protests erupted in 2018) these days there are too many lobbyists in and around the Kremlin who aim to back Lukashenko, mainly for economic reasons.