I've been trying to keep up with the Belarus protests as that may or may not be my next vacation, whenever international travel is a thing again.
Was encouraging when many state-owned factories went on strike, since they used to be a big source of support for Lukashenko. Surprising when many at the state-owned TV station walked off the job in protest solidarity.
The real wildcard is what will Putin do or will Lukashenko fall back on Putin's help if he gets totally cornered. Putin completely thinks of Belarus as Russian, and it provides a significant land buffer form the rest of Europe. Hard to see Putin just allowing a pro-Western gov't popping up in Minsk. For a couple years there had been rumors that Putin wanted to confederate Belarus with Russia and Putin would be the leader on the union (thus skirting Russian term limits, which he just constitutionally did away with a couple months ago). Putin's already raised gas prices to market rates removing the huge subsidies Belarus formerly enjoyed (and was allowed to sell some of the gas for profit). Faced with loss of power Lukashenko might agree to some union with Russia in exchange for Russia stamping out Belarus opposition.
Anyway, that's likely more Belarus than anyone here wanted.
Fraudulent election results triggered this whole uprising. The opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya officially won around 12% to Lukashenko's 80%. She's a housewife and former English teacher who ran only because her husband had been thrown in jail and not allowed to run. She's been quite brave and outspoken, but had to flee to Lithuania. Just someone who steps into a historic moment and is up for the challenge. One result is that women have been a major opposition/protest force in macho male-dominated ex-Soviet culture.
Poll
5 (45.5%)