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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Western allies take note: if you want to beat Putin in Ukraine, target his wicked little helper in Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko, left, greets Vladimir Putin as he arrives in Minsk for talks in December
Alexander Lukashenko, left, greets Vladimir Putin as he arrives in Minsk for talks in December. Photograph: UPI/Rex/Shutterstock

Last week, residents of Machulishchy were intrigued as soldiers and police swarmed across their small town on the edge of Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

Cordons and checkpoints were hastily erected for miles around the local airbase, which has played host to Russia’s forces during its abominable war against Ukraine.

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