At 7.00 p.m. (Polish time), the presidential elections have ended in Belarus. According to the government's exit poll, Aleksandr Lukashenka won it. After the announcement the Belarusians took to the streets. There are reports of brutal arrests of demonstrators and the wounded. The Internet has been switched off in almost the entire country. "Riots are practically all over Belarus. Even in small towns people have taken to the streets and the small forces of the local militia (police) are not able to disperse them" - reported Agnieszka Romaszewska.
According to a government poll, president Alexander Lukashenka obtained 79.7 percent of the vote. In second place with the result of 6.8 percent was Swiatłana Cichanouska, considered to be the main rival of Lukashenka. Next were: former MP Hanna Kanapacka with 2.3 percent, Andrej Dzmitryjeu with 1.1 percent and Siarhei Cherachan with 0.9 percent.
Belarusians did not accept the election results with calm, they took to the streets en masse. According to the TV station, Belsat, supporters of the opposition have gathered at the Prospectus of Winners in Minsk, while the city center is surrounded by the police forces and the troops of the Ministry of the Interior (OMON). According to the correspondents, the protesters were beaten by OMON, and several dozen people have already been detained.
According to Reuters, citing the RIA agency, protesters in Minsk began erecting barricades in the streets to protect themselves from law enforcement. These have already started to be stormed by the police. For this purpose, they use water cannons and bang grenades - reported the Belarusian portal Tut.by.
