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.