Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko heading to Beijing for 3-day visit

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a adjacent state of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, is owed successful Beijing to statesman a three-day authorities sojourn Tuesday arsenic geopolitical tensions emergence complete Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

China says nan sojourn is an "opportunity to beforehand nan further improvement of all-around practice betwixt nan 2 countries," but location person been increasing concerns that China is considering providing subject assistance to Russia, thing United States officials opportunity would bring superior consequences.

China has called nan U.S. allegations a smear campaign, saying it is committed to promoting bid talks and accusing Washington and its friends of fueling nan conflict by providing Ukraine pinch protect weapons.

"The U.S. has nary correct to constituent fingers astatine China-Russia relations. We will by nary intends judge nan U.S. unit and coercion," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday astatine a regular briefing.

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Beijing claims to support a neutral stance successful nan year-old war, but has besides said it has a "no-limits friendship" pinch Russia and has refused to knock Moscow’s invasion, aliases moreover telephone it that. It has accused nan U.S. and NATO of provoking nan conflict and condemned sanctions leveled against Russia and entities seen arsenic aiding its subject effort.

Last week, those sanctions were expanded to see a Chinese institution known arsenic Spacety China, which has supplied outer imagery of Ukraine to affiliates of Wagner Group, a backstage Russian subject contractor owned by a adjacent subordinate of President Vladimir Putin. A Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Spacety China was besides targeted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko airs for a photograph extracurricular Moscow, Russia, connected Feb. 17, 2023. Lukashenko is heading to Beijing to statesman a three-day sojourn connected Feb. 28, 2023. (Vladimir Astapkovich, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Belarus has powerfully backed Moscow and allowed its territory to beryllium utilized arsenic a staging crushed for nan first penetration of Ukraine a twelvemonth ago. Belarus continues to big Russian troops, warplanes and different weapons.

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China has agelong retained adjacent ties pinch Lukashenko, Belarus’ only president since nan position was created successful 1994. Lukashenko crushed 2020 protests complete his disputed reelection successful a ballot that nan guidance and Western countries respect arsenic fraudulent.

Despite its brutality, Lukashenko's suppression does not look to person ended each guidance activity.

On Sunday, Belarusian guerrillas attacked a subject aerial guidelines that hosts Russian warplanes extracurricular Belarusia’s capital, Minsk, according to activists.

Belarusian guidance statement BYPOL, successful an online messaging app transmission tally by nan activists, said an A-50 early informing and power craft was earnestly damaged successful nan onslaught astatine nan Machulishchy guidelines adjacent Minsk. The activists provided nary grounds to support nan claims, which couldn’t beryllium independently verified. Belarusian and Russian officials made nary comment, but Lukashenko urged apical subject and information officials Monday to tighten discipline.

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Also Monday, prosecutors demanded 19-year situation sentences for exiled guidance leaders Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Pavel Latushka, arsenic good arsenic fines of $15,000 and $10,000 respectively, amid a continued crackdown connected dissent successful nan ex-Soviet republic.

Tsikhanouskaya, Latushka and 3 different guidance figures are being tried successful absentia successful Minsk connected charges of colluding to overthrow nan government, creating and starring an extremist group, inciting hatred and harming nationalist security. The prosecution besides sought 12-year sentences for Maryya Maroz, Volha Kavalkova and Siarhei Dylevski. All 5 near Belarus pursuing nan unprecedented wide protests successful 2020.