Now, the capital, Minsk, long known for its cowed calm, has raised its voice with a simple, insistent demand: The dictator must go. The security forces have not broken ranks but, at least for now, have mostly retreated from the streets. What’s next: Mr. Lukashenko has sought help from Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, who has shown little interest in throwing him a lifeline. On Monday, Mr. Lukashenko said that a new election could be possible, just a few minutes after saying the opposite. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main opposition candidate, offered herself on Monday as an interim leader until new elections could be held.

Source: New York Times August 18, 2020 04:04 UTC