Belarus's embattled dictator Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday claimed Vladimir Putin had agreed to provide military support if needed as he clung onto power in the face of a growing pro-democracy revolution. Police launched a violent crackdown on protests that broke out last weekend when Mr Lukashenko claimed 80 percent of the vote in a presidential election, results largely seen as completely fabricated. But authorities failed to contain the demonstrations and pressure is mounting at home and abroad on Mr Lukashenko to step down, after ruling the Eastern European country with an iron fist for 26 years. Mr Lukashenko said on Saturday night that Russia and Belarus remained tied with a treaty with a "military component". "I had a long, thorough conversation with the Russian president today," he said. "He and I agreed comprehensive aid to ensure the security of the Republic of Belarus will be provided at our first request," he said in comments carried by the Belta news agency on Saturday. Moscow sees Belarus as a strategically important buffer against NATO and the European Union, and will have no desire to see the current leadership replaced with a Westernising reformer. The Kremlin has, however, remained tight-lipped throughout the crisis on whether it would seek to prop up the regime. Analysts say direct intervention of the type seen during the 2014 Ukraine crisis, when pro-democracy protests ousted a Moscow-backed leader, is unlikely at this stage.
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