Belarus-born Olga Dryndova from the Research Centre for East European Studies at the University of Bremen says: "Active support for the wounded Belarus leader would only damage Russia. The mood in Minsk is neither pro-Russian nor pro-European."

 

 

Gesine Dornblüth is an expert on Russia and Eastern Europe and a former Moscow correspondent. She says: "It's almost inconceivable that Russia would simply tolerate a democratic turnaround in Belarus."

 

 

Vladmir Esipov from DW's Russia desk says: "So far nothing has happened in Belarus that Putin really needs to react to."