Russia's Putin says Belarus facing unprecedented external pressure

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Belarus is under unprecedented external pressure, speaking at a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), a security block of six post-Soviet countries.

Belarus has seen more than three months of protests since a contested Aug. 9 presidential election, in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory. His opponents say it was rigged to hand him a sixth term in power.