Tens of thousands of protesters in Belarus gathered at a March for Freedom in Minsk on Sunday amid widespread demonstrations over the disputed reelection of Alexander Lukashenko.

In turn, at a separate pro-government rally, Lukashenko addressed thousands of supporters and asked them to protect the country, rejecting calls for an election rerun.

“Never expect me to do something under pressure. There will be no election rerun in the country. Elections have already been held and there will be no more elections. The unrest could open the way for military action by NATO”, - said he, accusing the alliance of massing on his country’s western border.

NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu dismissed the president"s claim about troops gathering, tweeting that there is no NATO buildup in the region.

“NATO’s multinational presence in the eastern part of the Alliance is not a threat to any country”, - Lungescu said. “It’s strictly defensive, proportionate and designed to prevent conflict and preserve peace”.

The Collective Treaty Security Organization, a military alliance of six former Soviet states including Belarus, said Sunday it would make a decision about providing assistance if Belarus requested it.

During 26 years in office, Lukashenko has repressed opposition figures and independent news media. But this year, protesters fed up with the country"s declining living standards and Lukashenko’s dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic have posed the biggest challenge to his rule.