Mahilou residents want Lukashenka to return his award to Putin

A group of Mahilou residents calls on Aliaksnadr Lukashenka to give back the Order of Alexander Nevsky to Russia to protest against threats to dam the Dnieper River.

The appeal, which was initiated by activist Aliaksei Paulouski, was signed by 25 persons, BelaPAN reports.

“In May 2014, citizens of Belarus sent the president of Russia a note in this connection, and Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian MFA to inform citizens of the Republic of Belarus on the result of the examination, but Lavrov's agency hasn't replied so far. We have grounds to fear that after the annexation of Crimea, the Dniepr River that unites three fraternal nations will be annexed as well,” the appeal says.

The signers say that “a house of the first president of Belarus is situated in the Shklou district on the Dnieper bank, which is a place for annual Kupalle celebrations”. “The place is sacred both for BRSM and Belaya Rus members. We are against desecrating prepared by the Russian leadership,” they wrote in the appeal.

Mahilou residents say that Vladimir Putin awarded the Belarusian dictator with the Order of Alexander Nevsky in March. They call on Aliaksandr Lukashenka to return Russia the award, protesting against unfriendly intentions voiced by the LDPR leader.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party group in the State Duma, again said in early March that a dam should be constructed near the village Krasnoye of the Smolensk Oblast to redirect the Dnieper to the Don. According to the Russian politician, it would allow cutting off water supply for Ukraine and Belarus.

Photo: AP