[Kreuzberger]

Thoroughly depressing and predictable news coming from the White Russia capital, Minsk, tonight. Lukašenko and his goons are in the throes of stealing yet another election.

My heart bursts with admiration for the brave men and women taking to the streets tonight.

More here;
https://europeelects.eu/2020/08/08/live ... -election/

Still, it couldn't happen in the UK, eh?

[Kreuzberger]

Poland-based Belsat are continuing to report, even though the Belarusian networks are locked down. This happening on the EU's eastern flank. I could jump in the car and be there in time for breakfast*.

https://beltv.info/news/vybary-u-belarusi-na-belsatse/ (Run it through Chrome if your Belarusian is a little rusty.)




* Did I ever mention the time I landed in Kiev (same thing really) with a broken nose and a sand-blasted left side of my face**, and ordered the Ukrainian breakfast at the airport? I had very little €€ cash on me and the card terminals were all out. The guy asked me if I wanted "vodka with that". Explaining that I was as good as skint, he gave me the vodka for free - half a pint of the stuff. At 06:30 am.

** The Indian Ocean comes at you like a rocket.

*** My surfing days might not be over except for in Sri Lanka.

[youngian]

Well that’s Brexit only European role model going down the pan.

[The Red Arrow]

Via @peterjukes

[The Weeping Angel]

Meanwhile there's this shithouse

[The Red Arrow]

Place your bets...

I’m EXTREMELY worried Russia is going to use this situation to invade Belarus. There is already a growing campaign amongst Russian media to call for troops to be sent to Belarus.

The Editor in Chief of Russia Today just called for troops to enter Belarus a la Crimea

[youngian]

Place your bets...

I’m EXTREMELY worried Russia is going to use this situation to invade Belarus. There is already a growing campaign amongst Russian media to call for troops to be sent to Belarus.

The Editor in Chief of Russia Today just called for troops to enter Belarus a la Crimea

Got some stats about Belarus somewhere collected for the benefit of Lexit dunderheads. Before the collapse of the Comecon, GDP per capita was about the same as its Polish and Baltic neighbours. Now its about $6K in Belarus while the Baltics and Poland were as much as four times higher following EU membership. A Belarus woman on my MA course told me about her worries that the KGB (they’re still called that) would read her dissertation. She stayed on in London unsurprisingly.

[The Red Arrow]

Lost touch with Belarussian friends. One nearly shat himself when the Salvation Army entered a bar we were in to flog 'War Cries' - he thought it was a raid by chaps in similar uniforms he'd had some dealings with. Hoping they're o.k.

[youngian]

Lost touch with Belarussian friends. One nearly shat himself when the Salvation Army entered a bar we were in to flog 'War Cries' - he thought it was a raid by chaps in similar uniforms he'd had some dealings with. Hoping they're o.k.

What did he make of the SA? They are a bit of an odd concept in a British context. Not being a big uniform wearing country.

[The Red Arrow]

He couldn't get over the military style uniforms on a bunch of 'Christian do-gooders'. Couldn't reconcile that with how they didn't steer the conversation to Christ our saviour at every opportunity, and that they seemed as interested in the football on the telly as rest of us. He was used to American bible-bashers in bright anoraks with big crosses on them at home - and the aforementioned locals in blue uniforms with red trim and peaked caps. I don't think he fully trusted the dear old Sally Army, despite my assurances. He was normally over-curious and often enchanted with other 'fucking English weirdness', but gave them (and on another occasion a Sikh postie) a noticably wide berth.

[The Red Arrow]

[Bones McCoy]

Well that’s Brexit only European role model going down the pan.

I'm sure some Brexiteers are jealously admiring their "firm handed policing".
While reaching for the man-size Kleenex.

[The Red Arrow]

Belarus's leader pleads for Putin's help as post-election protests grow

Alexander Lukashenko tells the Kremlin that unrest could spread to Moscow next if his regime is destabilised
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... lukashenko

[The Red Arrow]

Tens of thousands gather in Minsk for biggest protest in Belarus history
Alexander Lukashenko claims Vladimir Putin has offered him ‘comprehensive help
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... k-of-anger

[youngian]

Is Corbyn writing for Spiked now?