MOSCOW—As anger grew in Belarus over the handling of the weekend’s presidential election, Russia moved swiftly to congratulate President Alexander Lukashenko for his electoral win and press for stronger ties with its neighbor ahead of a second night of protests. Russia and Belarus are closely linked by language and culture. Belarus once was a Soviet state and is strategically located in the center of Eastern Europe, on Russia’s western flank. In recent years, Mr. Lukashenko has sought a closer relationship with Europe and...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 10, 2020 16:40 UTC