WHO WILL BE THE NEW BELARUS DEFENSE MINISTER?

Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko is considering a number of candidates for the post vacated after the previous occupant resigned over corruption charges, Kommersant-Daily said June 8. Among the likely candidates is one certain to cause problems. He is Lt. Gen. Uladzimir Uskhobikh, who was the commander of the Soviet garrison in Vilnius in January 1991, when Soviet troops fired on Lithuanian crowds. Lithuanian officials have been seeking his extradition ever since.

Russia Presses for Greater Role in Region.