Lukashenko may lose power and Putin his only ally if Belarus goes to war – oppositionist Kovalevsky

He said this on the air of the Espreso TV channel.

"There is no pressure from Putin on Lukashenko. There is an understanding that the Belarusian people will not tolerate the Belarusian military entering the war. This restrains both Lukashenko and Putin from sending the Belarusian military. They understand that this could destabilize the situation in Belarus even more," Kovalevsky explained.

According to him, Lukashenko could lose power, and Putin could lose his only and important strategic ally.

"Thanks to Lukashenko, he (Putin - ed.) can threaten Ukraine on the 1,084 km of the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. For Putin, this is an unacceptable loss, it can stop the war. Because Russia will lose its most significant strategic advantage over Ukraine compared to 2014," Kovalevsky emphasized. 

• Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced his intention to pay a working visit to Iran in mid-March.

• Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Lukashenko is trying to prevent Putin from sending the Belarusian army to Ukraine, as this would mean the end of his regime.