Lukashenko says protests were orchestrated from Poland, UK, Czech Republic

According to Lukashenko, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian citizens attempted to take part in mass protests

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that protests on Sunday evening had been orchestrated by means of telephone calls from Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic.

"We traced calls from abroad, and as a former intelligence officer you know that. Calls came from Poland, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic to control, I beg your pardon, sheep: they don’t understand what they are doing and are easy to be controlled," BelTA agency quoted him as saying at a meeting with chairman of the CIS Executive Secretariat Sergei Lebedev, who headed a CIS observer mission at Sunday’s presidential elections.

According to Lukashenko, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian citizens attempted to take part in mass protests that took place in Belarus.

"I’m not going to mention Poland: they’ve already settled down there, trying to pull the strings as well. I’m not going to talk about Ukraine: people came from there. I’m sure this is not state policy, however, there are many "Maidan-crazy" people over there whom I’ve already mentioned. Unfortunately, some people came from Russia as well," Lukashenko said, quoted by BelTA news agency.

Lukashenko has vowed to prevent Maidan-like events and appropriately respond to attempts to tear the country apart.

"I said that no Maidan-like events would take place here, no matter how much some might want it to happen. So everyone needs to calm down," Lukashenko said.

The head of state pledged to adequately respond to attempts to destabilize the situation in Belarus. "We won’t let anyone tear the country apart," he added.