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Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in central Minsk to mark the third week of protests against disputed Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko.
The Peace March began at 2pm local time on 30 August, which also marks Lukashenko's 66th birthday.
Demonstrators marked the occasion by chanting "Happy Birthday, you rat" and waving the red-and-white opposition flag.
Riot police and troops were also present during the protest, and an estimated 125 people have been detained, according to Russian news agency RIA.
Protesters eventually made their way to the president's residence, which was guarded by heavily armed security forces, equipped with water cannons, prisoner vans, and shields.
A protester in front of a wall of shields created by riot police. /Reuters
A column of riot police also formed a wall in front of protesters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Lukashenko to wish him a happy birthday.
Putin also invited Lukashenko to visit Moscow in the 'coming weeks' to strengthen Belarus-Russia's strong alliance.
This is the first time that Lukashenko will have visited Russia since protests began.
The Russian president also claimed that he would send a reserve of law enforcement officers to support Lukashenko if the situation got "out of control."
Protests in Belarus began on 9 August after Lukashenko was announced as winner of the presidential election in the former Soviet country.
Lukashenko's opposition Svetlana Tikhanovskaya disputed the results, claiming that Lukashenko won through election fraud.
Lukashenko has denied the accusation.
Tikhanovskaya has since fled to Lithuania, but thousands have been rallying in support of her since the election.
On 16 and 23 August, an estimated 100,000 gathered in the Belarus capital to show their support to the opposition leader.
Protesters sitting in front of riot police to block their path. /Reuters
On 29 August, the Belarus Foreign Ministry revoked the accreditation of 17 journalists who have been covering the demonstrations, including journalists working for foreign media such as the BBC, Radio Liberty/ Radio Free Europe, Reuters and AFP.
The government claimed that the accreditation was revoked on "counter-terrorism" grounds.
The act was condemned by both the United States and Germany and opposition leader Tikhanovskaya said that this was "another sign that this regime is morally bankrupt."
The European Union is preparing to impose new sanctions against the country and Lukashenko responded on 28 August by threatening to cut off European transit routes through Belarus.
(AFP)
