Putin and Lukashenko skiing and snowmobiling together

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenko skied together on February 22 at the Krasnaya Polyana ski resort in southern Russia.

In addition, leaders traveled on snowmobiles as needed to surprise locals and resort guests. Lukashenko thanked the Russian president on Monday for the financial support he received from Moscow last year amid massive protests.

Russia loaned Russia $ 1.5 billion last September. dollars This was seen as a gesture of support for Lukashenko. After the August presidential elections, the results of which, according to opponents, were rigged, Lukashenko faced unprecedented mass protests.

Lukashenko denies that the elections were opaque and that he clung to power. The support of the Kremlin also helps.

During a meeting with Putin, Lukashenko said that Russia’s coronavirus vaccine was the most effective in the world, “no matter what the trolls say.”

For his part, Putin noted that Russia would deliver new batches of the vaccine to Belarus in February and March and had already transferred its production technology to Minsk. According to A. Lukashenko, production is scheduled to start in March at a Belarusian company.

According to Kommersant, it is believed that Lukashenko could ask Putin for another $ 3 billion. credit dollars.