Alexander Lukashenko will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi to discuss their countries' "strategic partnership", the Kremlin has said.

Mr Putin has emerged as a key ally to the embattled Belarusian President, who has been dealing with a month of protests demanding his resignation.

Mr Lukashenko defended his "tough measures", which include beating protesters in detention centres, saying they are needed to "stop all the trash from rising up".

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