With Belarus in Turmoil, Russia Sees Chance to Expand Its Influence

MOSCOW—As anger grew in Belarus more than the handling of the weekend’s presidential election, Russia moved quickly to congratulate President Alexander Lukashenko for his electoral get and push for stronger ties with its neighbor forward of a second night of protests.

Russia and Belarus are carefully connected by language and society. Belarus the moment was a Soviet condition and is strategically found in the centre of Japanese Europe, on Russia’s western flank. In modern yrs, Mr. Lukashenko has sought a nearer partnership with Europe and…