Hold Back and Let Us Establish Order: Lukashenko Addresses Protesters

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko convened a meeting of the Security Council to discuss ongoing post-election protests and demonstrations across the country, as reported by belta.by.

"I won’t say that this is a disaster or an overly tense situation, but there are many problems, and we are obliged to solve them. Today, we see very clearly what is happening and who is involved. As we have stated before, the instigators and organizers of all this come from abroad. They are criminals in the first ranks," said the president.

Lukashenko also urged the authorities not to strike down fallen protesters. "In any case, we are Slavs, and if a person has fallen and is lying down, there is no need to beat them. There must be a clear brake here," he stated, while also adding that provocateurs are intentionally attacking special forces.

The Belarusian president appealed to parents of teenagers and young people, requesting that they keep an eye on their children. "This is my fourth appeal to parents: watch where your children are. I understand that it is difficult for some parents of teenagers to control their children at that age; in that case, contact us, we will help," Lukashenko said.

Addressing the citizens, Lukashenko warned, "Do not go out into the streets now. Understand that you and our children are being used as meat sent to the slaughter. We are now facing aggression coming from Poland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and definitely from Russia, near Navalny, and so on. Aggression against the country has already begun. Tell me, as a military officer, what should I do, what should I do in this situation? Do you want me to sit and wait until Minsk is turned upside down? Then we will not be able to stabilize the situation afterward. Therefore, it is necessary to stop, put your head in your hands, relax, and let us establish order and resolve the problems of those who have come here," Lukashenko stated.

The Central Election Commission of Belarus published the final results of the presidential elections held on August 9, indicating that the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, received 80.1% of the votes, while opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya received 10.1%. It’s worth noting that mass protests in Belarus have not ceased since the presidential elections held on August 9. Citizens are expressing dissatisfaction with the election results, which declared the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, the winner with over 80 percent of the vote.

For several days, clashes have been occurring between protesters and security forces in various cities, including Brest, Gomel, Grodno, and the capital Minsk. Many people have been injured, and thousands have been arrested. It is reported that one person died during the clashes on August 10.