Three leading Belarusian opposition activists were detained on Monday, following a weekend during which tens of thousands of demonstrators marched on President Alexander Lukashenko's residence in Minsk, demanding the long-time leader step down.
As protests against Belarus's contested presidential elections entered their third week, the appearance of the embattled president holding a gun outside the Independence Palace on Sunday, alongside Monday's detentions, signals a new determination from the 65-year-old leader to take control of the crisis.
Over the weekend, Lukashenko promised one supporter that the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule would be resolved in "the coming days."
