The Russian president, Vladimir Putinimposed this Wednesday on his Belarusian counterpart, Alexandr Lukashenkothe highest decoration of Russiathe order of Saint Andrew the Apostlefor his enormous contribution to strengthening relations between Moscow y Minsk.
«We have never turned our backs on Russia. We are a reliable ally»Lukashenko said during a ceremony in the Kremlin broadcast live on Russian public television.
Lukashenko, who has presided over Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, assured that Minsk “has never failed Russia and will never fail it” and highlighted that both are at the forefront of creating a new multipolar order.
At the end of his speech, the Belarusian leader wished Putin, but, first of all, the Russian people, “new and great victories”, in clear reference to the war in Ukraine.
Putin, who met with his Belarusian counterpart for the eighth time this year, explained that the order is more than deserved.
«In this case, it will be awarded for special services in strengthening bilateral relations between Russia and Belarus. “You have done a lot for this.”he explained.
Furthermore, he was “convinced” that both will continue to strengthen cooperation in all areas and defend the security of the Russia-Belarus State Union.
The Order of Saint Andrew was created in 1698 by Peter I, the first Russian emperor, and was for more than three centuries the highest recognition granted by the tsars.
The Russian Federation recovered this distinction in 1998, a year before Putin arrived at the Kremlin with the then president, Boris Yeltsin.
Lukashenko, who could run for re-election in 2025, has been the Kremlin chief’s main ally in his military campaign in Ukraine.
The Belarusian leader ceded the territory of his country so that Russian troops could penetrate the territory of the neighboring country and take the central Chernobylwhich is why Ukraine considers him complicit in the aggression.
Subsequently, as an instrument of deterrence against the threat posed by NATO, Putin agreed with Lukashenko to deploy tactical nuclear missiles in the former Soviet republic.
Lukashenko had his ups and downs with the Kremlin for a few years, but their relationship strengthened overnight since Putin offered his help to suppress the massive protests against electoral fraud in August 2020.
Recently, Lithuaniawhere many Belarusian opponents are exiled, asked the Prosecutor’s Office of the International Criminal Court to investigate the crimes against humanity committed by the Belarusian regime against its own people and issue an arrest warrant against Lukashenko, as it did before with Putin. EFE (I)
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