Several thousand people protested against Lukashenko in Minsk

Several thousand people gathered again today in Minsk, where they are protesting against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Demonstrators gathered around a metro station in western Minsk to pay their respects to a protester who died there recently.

Meanwhile, Lukashenko said he wants to talk to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

"There is an ongoing aggression against Belarus. We need to get in touch with Putin, because it is not just a threat against Belarus," Lukashenko said.

According to him, the protests in Minsk pose a threat to intergovernmental cooperation between Russia and Belarus.

Relations between Russia and Belarus are traditionally good, but tensions arise periodically, especially over energy issues. However, in recent months, Lukashenko has been accusing Moscow of wanting to turn Belarus into a vassal and of manipulating the presidential election.

Putin congratulated Lukashenko on his victory in the August 9 presidential election, despite allegations of electoral fraud and the ensuing protests that ended in violence.