Minsk (Belarus), Aug 4 (AP) Belarus's authoritarian leader vowed Tuesday to maintain a close alliance with Russia as he seeks a sixth term in office amid a surge of opposition protests.

In a state-of-the-nation address ahead of Sunday's election, President Alexander Lukashenko said the partnership between the neighbours reflects historic ties. “Russia has always been and will remain our close ally irrespective of who takes power in Belarus or Russia,” Lukashenko said.

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That contrasts with Lukashenko's diatribes against Russia last week, when Belarus's security agency arrested 33 Russian security contractors at a sanitarium outside the Belarusian capital on charges of planning to stage mass riots. Moscow has dismissed the accusations, saying the contractors were heading to another country and stayed in Belarus after missing their transfer.

In power for 26 years, Lukashenko has relied on cheap Russian energy and other subsidies and loans worth billions of dollars to shore up the Soviet-style economy in the nation of 9.5 million people. But at the same time, he has engaged in fierce economic arguments with the Kremlin, resisting Russian attempts to take control over Belarus's economic assets.

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Russia this year has sharply scaled down its subsidies, saying Belarus needs to accept closer economic integration if it wants to receive Russian energy at a steep discount. Lukashenko has described the move as part of Moscow's efforts to subdue its neighbour.

Lukashenko obliquely referred to those arguments in his speech, lamenting that “Russia has shifted from brotherly to partner-like relations with us.” But he argued that Moscow needs warm relations with its neighbour to the west.

“Russia fears losing us because it has no really close allies left except us,” he said. “And the West has shown increasing interest in us.” Throughout his rule, Lukashenko has sought to scare the Kremlin with the prospect of turning to the West. The tactics have worked to some extent, even though Lukashenko has earned the nickname of “Europe's last dictator” in the West for his authoritarian ways.

The 65-year-old former state farm director has stifled dissent and independent media and extended his rule through votes the West has seen as rigged.

This time, the Belarusian leader has faced the toughest challenge yet from the opposition, amid public fatigue with his rule and fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the wife of a jailed opposition blogger, has unified fragmented opposition groups and attracted tens of thousands to her campaign rallies.

Belarusian authorities have detained more than 1,000 participants in protests since the campaign's start. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)