Belarus president lashes out at oil prices

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko lashed out angrily at the Russian leadership today over energy price increases, calling its conduct “shameless” and threatening to charge Moscow for military facilities and transit of oil across his country.

The fiery remarks from an agitated, pale-looking Lukashenko came days after his government averted a New Year’s Day cut-off of Russian natural-gas supplies by grudgingly agreeing to pay twice the previous price this year and even more in the future.

The gas dispute was part of a politically-charged struggle over Russia’s moves to end years of preferential treatment that have helped the authoritarian Lukashenko keep his country’s Soviet-style economy running and maintain his grip on power.

Belarus has stopped importing Russian oil as it seeks to persuade Moscow to reconsider a new customs duty on exports to its ex-Soviet neighbour.

“If they are drowning in petrodollars and other currency income and have decided...to place us in conditions worse even than Germany and other European countries, then let’s ask this rich Russia to pay us for our services,” said Lukashenko, shouting at times in televised remarks during a government meeting.