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Russia offers police force to Belarus' Lukashenko
By EUobserver
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the Kremlin had set up a police unit to support Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko at his request. Mass demonstrations have taken place in Belarus since a 9 August election that the opposition says was rigged. Putin said he agreed with Lukashenko the police force would not be used unless the situation "got out of control". The opposition said Moscow's plan violated international law.