Russia 'aims to "absorb" Belarus by 2030'

Russia is allegedly planning to annex Belarus and absorb it into the Russian Federation by the year 2030, according to leaked presidential documents. The medium-term plan would see Belarus formally become part of Russia as early as 2025, while the long-term plan gives a time frame of seven years from 2023. But the despot's desire to take control of Belarus as well as Ukraine would hardly come as a surprise. He also seems intent on unifying a Russian-speaking tripartite of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - as well as other territories - into one superstate. The Kremlin has staunchly backed Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for nearly three decades.