Live Updates: Tikhanovskaya Announces Nationwide Strike in Belarus Starting Monday

MINSK (Sputnik) - Ex-Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya announced on Sunday that a nationwide strike will commence on October 26 as her ultimatum to President Alexander Lukashenko expires.

Tikhanovskaya put forward a 13-day ultimatum on October 13, threatening with a nationwide strike unless Lukashenko resigns, frees all "political prisoners" and stops "street violence." On Sunday, protesters in Minsk attempted to march toward the presidential residence, but were stopped by security forces.

"The regime has shown the Belarusians again today that violence is the only thing it can do …This means that this regime is not worthy of the Belarusian people. This means that this regime is losing power. Therefore, tomorrow, on October 26, a nationwide strike will begin," Tikhanovskaya wrote on her Telegram channel.

MINSK (Sputnik) - The Minsk police told Sputnik on Sunday they had used riot control equipment in Orlovskaya street in Minsk to “prevent the protesters from committing illegal actions.”

“Law-enforcement officers have used means of restraint to prevent illegal actions on the part of the protesters near the building of the Minsk City police, which is situated in Orlovskaya street,” a spokesperson for the police said.

The protesters have retreated from the Minsk City police building, but are still near it. Earlier, the participants rallied near the Independence Palace, which is the Belarusian president’s residence.

The Belarusian Interior Ministry is checking reports of gunshots at Minsk’s Orlovskaya street, where security forces have blocked protesters on their way toward the Belarusian president’s residence, spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova told Sputnik on Sunday.

Earlier, the Nasha Niva newspaper reported that when a column of protesters came close to a security cordon, an officer opened fire toward them, inflicting no injuries.

"This information is being verified. After the check, an official comment will be made," Chemodanova said.