Lukashenko explained why he often compares St. Petersburg with Belarus

The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has met today with the Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, welcoming a representative delegation of Russia’s northern capital as ‘kind and close neighbours representing our native Leningrad’

photo: www.president.gov.by

“I call it [the city] by the old name... It is now St. Petersburg. You know my personal, special attitude to this city-worker, city-hero. I often compare Leningrad with Belarus, because there were no places in history that would have suffered from the war as much as Belarus and Leningrad. We treat Leningraders – who suffered personally and came to Belarus after the war to do much for the revival of our country, especially its science and education – with great warmth,” the Head of State said.

Taking that opportunity, the President thanked the delegations from St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region who came to Belarus in March for the opening of the museum dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the tragic events in Khatyn, “We see that the Nazis, fascists and other evil-doers, as well as destructive forces are trying to rewrite history, to deny our common contribution to the Great Victory and to justify their criminal actions – both of that time and of modern days. Through the conflict in Ukraine, they are dragging us into World War III. I am convinced that they did not succeed then, and they will not succeed even more at present.”