Recent events and incidents with Russian journalists should not affect the strategy of relations of Moscow and Minsk, said Russian Ambassador in Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev.
"Strategy of relations is not measured in hours and days… Even though there are difficulties, and even these episodes in the dialogue with our partners to release the detained journalists from Russia, they should not be interpreted as a threat to the strategy of our relations," – said Mezentsev in the channel "Russia 24".
Earlier it was reported about detention of several Russian journalists after the presidential elections in Belarus: photographer MIA "Russia today" Ilya Pitalev, employees Daily Storm of Anton Starkov and Dmitry Lisenko, journalist "jellyfish" Maxim Solopova, RT correspondent Konstantin Predybailo, journalist Sputnik of Belarus Evgeny Oleynik, correspondents of the TV channel "Rain", three stringers RT cooperating with the videoagentstvo Ruptly journalist Seeds Pegova and operator Vladislav Sysdata.
Most of them were released, although at the time of detention used physical force. Some banned entry to Belarus for five years.
The ninth of August in Belarus presidential elections were held. According to specified data of the CEC, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is gaining 80,08% of the vote. He has led the country for over 26 years.
The evening of 9 August a number of Belarusian cities began mass unauthorized protest. Protesters in Central Minsk erecting barricades out of garbage cans. The militia used against them tear gas, water cannons and stun grenades, and drove the protesters from the city centre. As a result of the actions of the opposition were arrested about 3 thousand people, injured about 100 people, reported the interior Ministry of Belarus.
