Belarus says dozens of Russians arrested ahead of presidential election

Authorities were tipped off that militants planned to destabilise country, according to state news

Belarusian authorities said they had detained dozens of Russian private military contractors days before Belarus's presidential vote, a sign of escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

Belarus's authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, who is seeking a sixth term in office in the 9 August vote, has repeatedly accused Russia of trying to force Belarus to abandon its post-Soviet independence. Throughout his 26-year rule, the 65-year-old has relied on Russian subsidies and political support but has fiercely resisted Moscow's efforts to gain control over the country's economic assets.