Belarus police launch sweeping anti-riot drills ahead of January’s election

Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian police have launched sweeping anti-riot drills ahead of January’s election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term, a signal from the authorities that they won’t tolerate any protests. Interior Minister Ivan Kubrkakov said Tuesday that the exercise is intended to train the country’s police force for blocking “any manifestation of extremism and terrorism” and prevent any attempts “to draw citizens into unlawful actions and any violation of public order.” Belarus’ opposition-leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya denounced the drills as a dress rehearsal for a renewed crackdown on dissent.