Lukashenko open to recognize Crimea as part of Russia

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said he would recognise Crimea "when the last oligarch in Russia recognizes Crimea and starts supplying products there."

Lukashenko was speaking at his annual conference on the one-year anniversary of the vote that handed him a sixth term in office but was denounced by the opposition and the West as rigged.

In his speech he referred to the protesters as fascists and said that 46,700 people that went out to the streets was not a big number and "a tenth of those who think differently."

"There could have been more people, I am aware, because about 10% of the population has never voted for me in the country," he said.

IMAGE: AP