It appeared to be the largest protest in the history of Belarus, a former Soviet republic that Mr. Lukashenko has led since 1994. The huge turnout showed that the longtime autocratic leader had failed in his efforts to intimidate opponents. On the ground: The protest had a festive air and Belarusians walked freely in the city center, wrapped in opposition flags and chanting antigovernment slogans. Many protesters said they came on Sunday because they were shocked to learn that protesters had been tortured after being detained at previous rallies. The Kremlin’s account, however, gave no indication that President Vladimir Putin had offered concrete support.

Source: New York Times August 17, 2020 04:01 UTC