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Lukashenko’s spokesperson says he worked all day at his residence amid protests

As he promised, the president never ran away whatever some bloggers might have said, Natalia Eismon told

MINSK, August 23. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko worked the whole day at his residence in Minsk, the Independence Palace, and was in control of the situation, his press secretary Natalia Eismont said on Sunday.

"The president worked the whole day at the situation center of the Independence Palace, controlling the situation, including when the so-called demonstrators ventured, so to say, a kind of storm of the building in the evening," she said in an interview with the ONT television channel. "At these time, the head of state was inside the building. But the protesters did not have courage enough: people soon turned away and ran in the opposite direction."

According to Eismont, the president flew over the territory of the opposition rallies onboard a helicopter along with his son Nikolai and after he returned to the residence he came out to "those who protected the building" to thank them.

"As he promised, the president never ran away whatever some bloggers might have said. <…> Children were also with him. <…> The president is still working at his residence," she added.

The opposition rally began at 14:00 local time. After a two-hour peaceful action, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched to the Hero City Minsk monument located two kilometers of the Independence Square. After a short rally, some of the demonstrators marched to the State Flag Square and the presidential residence. Others returned to the Independence Square to leave the square shortly after.