Belarussian Opposition Rallies Against Russian Military Base

By The Moscow Times

Oct. 5, 2015

Belarussian opposition activists organized a rally Sunday protesting the planned building of ?° Russian military air base in the country, the Belorussky Partizan local news website reported.

Media estimates of the number of participants varied from 150 to 1,000 people.

One of the leaders of the opposition, Vladimir Neklyayev, said during the rally that building an air base could threaten the country's neutrality and territorial integrity.

“There was a Russian [military] base in Crimea, and part of Ukrainian territory was seized from there. If it happened there, why shouldn't it happen here?” Neklyayev was cited by Belorussky Partizan as saying Sunday.

Although the rally was not sanctioned by the authorities, local police didn't interfere with it and no arrests were made. Neklyayev and two other participants received official reprimands from police.

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