New Russian ambassador to Belarus 'will seduce, not threaten'

 Alexei Venediktov / ria.ru​
 Alexei Venediktov / ria.ru​

The chief editor of the radio station Ekho Moskvy, Alexei Venediktov, believes that the new ambassador of Russia to Belarus, Dmitry Mezentsev, has the same task as his predecessor, Mikhail Babich, but different methods. “I know Dmitry Mezentsev very well,” said Venediktov on the program “Osoboye Mneniye”. “This is the person who will most likely envelop and seduce than threaten. He has probably the same task. As Dmitry Anatolyevich [ Medvedev] says, "deep integration processes" ... His task is to unite, but the methods are different. "

As for Babich, Aleksei Venediktov believes we can expect him to be “well appointed” in the Presidential Administration of Russia: “This person will be promoted because he, as someone said, is Putin’s avatar.”

In the video, Belarus is discussed at 21:09 and at 28:33.