<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday denounced Western silence on Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko's claim that his security services had thwarted an alleged US plot to assassinate him.</p>.<p>Lukashenko said on Saturday that Russian authorities had helped derail a plot to overthrow the Belarusian government and arrested two Belarusian nationals in Moscow.</p>.<p>He claimed senior US politicians were involved in the alleged plot, saying no one but top leadership "can assign the task of eliminating a president".</p>.<p>"Everyone pretends that nothing is happening at all," Putin said in his annual state of the nation address on Wednesday, referring to Western countries.</p>.<p>"What would have happened if the coup d'etat attempt had been actually undertaken? How many people would have suffered?"</p>.<p>On Saturday, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement that it detained two Belarusians who planned to stage a "military coup" in Belarus and "kill" the Belarusian leader.</p>.<p>Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, thanked Putin for his help and claimed that the Kremlin chief had discussed the affair with US President Joe Biden last week.</p>.<p>The 66-year-old Belarusian leader has faced down historic protests against his rule, which erupted after he claimed a sixth presidential term last August, claiming to have thwarted a Western-led revolution.</p>.<p>Putin has backed him in the crisis and the two are set to meet in Russia on Thursday.</p>
<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday denounced Western silence on Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko's claim that his security services had thwarted an alleged US plot to assassinate him.</p>.<p>Lukashenko said on Saturday that Russian authorities had helped derail a plot to overthrow the Belarusian government and arrested two Belarusian nationals in Moscow.</p>.<p>He claimed senior US politicians were involved in the alleged plot, saying no one but top leadership "can assign the task of eliminating a president".</p>.<p>"Everyone pretends that nothing is happening at all," Putin said in his annual state of the nation address on Wednesday, referring to Western countries.</p>.<p>"What would have happened if the coup d'etat attempt had been actually undertaken? How many people would have suffered?"</p>.<p>On Saturday, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement that it detained two Belarusians who planned to stage a "military coup" in Belarus and "kill" the Belarusian leader.</p>.<p>Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, thanked Putin for his help and claimed that the Kremlin chief had discussed the affair with US President Joe Biden last week.</p>.<p>The 66-year-old Belarusian leader has faced down historic protests against his rule, which erupted after he claimed a sixth presidential term last August, claiming to have thwarted a Western-led revolution.</p>.<p>Putin has backed him in the crisis and the two are set to meet in Russia on Thursday.</p>