Putin says he could send police to Belarus

Russian president Vladimir Putin has warned that he stands ready to send police to Belarus if protest sin the country turn violent.

He said in an inter view broadcast yesterday there was no such need now and voiced hope for stabilising the situation in the neighbouring country.

Belarus’ author it arian president of 26 years, Alexander Lukashenko, is facing weeks of protests against his re-election to a sixth term in the 9 August vote, which the opposition says was rigged.

Mr Put in said Mr Lukashenko has asked him to prepare a Russian law enforcement contingent to deploy to Belarus if necessary. The Russian president said that he and Mr Lukashenko had agreed “there is no such need now, and I hope there won’t be”.

“We have agreed not to use it until the situation starts spinning out of control and extremist e lements acting under the cover of political slogans cross certain borders and engage in banditry ,” he said.