Steve Rosenberg

And I think that amid all the talk we're hearing of possible peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, of some kind of imminent US peace plan, I suspect that any sign of a thaw in US-Russian relations, and this kind of language we're seeing, show of good faith in the Russians, moving in the right direction, I suspect that in Ukraine, in Kiev, they'll be pretty wary of that and wondering if that means moving in the right direction for Moscow.

And I think that amid all the talk we're hearing of possible peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, of some kind of imminent US peace plan, I suspect that any sign of a thaw in US-Russian relations, and this kind of language we're seeing, show of good faith in the Russians, moving in the right direction, I suspect that in Ukraine, in Kiev, they'll be pretty wary of that and wondering if that means moving in the right direction for Moscow.

In a Minsk arena, at a pro-government patriotic festival, they sing, we'll survive if we're together. The idea is to portray Belarus as a peaceful, friendly, united country. Enter the man who thinks he's the father of... Alexander Lukashenko tells the audience, all of you are my children. And then he calls for a dictatorship of order, justice and respect.

In a Minsk arena, at a pro-government patriotic festival, they sing, we'll survive if we're together. The idea is to portray Belarus as a peaceful, friendly, united country. Enter the man who thinks he's the father of... Alexander Lukashenko tells the audience, all of you are my children. And then he calls for a dictatorship of order, justice and respect.

This from the man who's been accused of rigging elections to keep himself in power for three decades, who holds more than 1,200 political prisoners, and who has jailed or exiled his fiercest opponents and potential rivals. The last time Belarus held a presidential election in 2020, it ended on the streets with hundreds of thousands of people accusing Mr Lukashenko of stealing their votes.

This from the man who's been accused of rigging elections to keep himself in power for three decades, who holds more than 1,200 political prisoners, and who has jailed or exiled his fiercest opponents and potential rivals. The last time Belarus held a presidential election in 2020, it ended on the streets with hundreds of thousands of people accusing Mr Lukashenko of stealing their votes.

A brutal police crackdown extinguished the protests, eventually. And Mr Lukashenko held on to power. Now it's election time again. And although his critics call it a sham, the leader of Belarus will be hoping to use the vote to boost his legitimacy. After all, there are multiple candidates. I went to meet one of them. The Communist Party leader, Sergei Serenkov, is running against Mr Lukashenko.

A brutal police crackdown extinguished the protests, eventually. And Mr Lukashenko held on to power. Now it's election time again. And although his critics call it a sham, the leader of Belarus will be hoping to use the vote to boost his legitimacy. After all, there are multiple candidates. I went to meet one of them. The Communist Party leader, Sergei Serenkov, is running against Mr Lukashenko.

But oddly, his campaign slogan is, not in place of, but together with Lukashenko. He tells me there is no alternative today to Alexander Lukashenko, a man of the soil who has done everything to make sure that we don't have the kind of chaos they have in Ukraine. With opponents like this, you really can't lose anything.

But oddly, his campaign slogan is, not in place of, but together with Lukashenko. He tells me there is no alternative today to Alexander Lukashenko, a man of the soil who has done everything to make sure that we don't have the kind of chaos they have in Ukraine. With opponents like this, you really can't lose anything.

I drive four hours northeast of Minsk and discover that this fear of chaos and instability, it's real. It is fueled partly, but not solely, by the war in Ukraine. And it helps explain the reluctance of some people here to want a new leader. In the little town of Oktyabrskaya, Zinaida tells me, the situation today is very tense.

I drive four hours northeast of Minsk and discover that this fear of chaos and instability, it's real. It is fueled partly, but not solely, by the war in Ukraine. And it helps explain the reluctance of some people here to want a new leader. In the little town of Oktyabrskaya, Zinaida tells me, the situation today is very tense.

Maybe there are other people worthy of power, but it'll take a long time for a young leader to get his feet under the desk. God forbid we should end up like Ukraine.

Maybe there are other people worthy of power, but it'll take a long time for a young leader to get his feet under the desk. God forbid we should end up like Ukraine.

Sergei, a local welder, tells me, I want a stable salary and a stable country. Other candidates make promises but might not keep them. I want to keep what I've got. There are many different fears today in Belarus. There is fear of the unknown, of instability, of war. And there is fear of the government, fear of speaking out.

Sergei, a local welder, tells me, I want a stable salary and a stable country. Other candidates make promises but might not keep them. I want to keep what I've got. There are many different fears today in Belarus. There is fear of the unknown, of instability, of war. And there is fear of the government, fear of speaking out.

As Alexander Lukashenko seeks to extend his power, all these fears work in his favour.

As Alexander Lukashenko seeks to extend his power, all these fears work in his favour.

In the early hours of the second day of each month, something very strange happens in the town of Beeston. A plate of up to 20 peeled bananas is left on the corner of Abbey Road and Windsor Avenue, piled up in the same way, sometimes with honey drizzled on them. The culprit? Nobody knows. The phantom fruit lever has never been revealed or left any clues to their identity.

In the early hours of the second day of each month, something very strange happens in the town of Beeston. A plate of up to 20 peeled bananas is left on the corner of Abbey Road and Windsor Avenue, piled up in the same way, sometimes with honey drizzled on them. The culprit? Nobody knows. The phantom fruit lever has never been revealed or left any clues to their identity.