Belarus President Lukashenko skips major national event, sparking health rumours
Alexander Lukashenko
Rumours about Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's health are rife after he skipped the country's major national celebration. Lukashenko, 68, usually speaks at National Flag, Emblem and Anthem Day but on Sunday, Belarus Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko read a message on his behalf.
Last week, Lukashenko left Russia soon after Victory Day parade in Moscow. He skipped a lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Media reports say that during his Russia visit, Lukashenko looked visibly tired and that his right hand was in a bandage.
Lukashenko's last public appearance was when he laid flowers in Belarus capital Minsk during the country's own Victory Day celebrations (May 9). He attended the ceremony just a few hours after returning from Moscow.
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BBC quoted a Telegram channel which said that Lukashenko visited a presidential medical centre outside Minsk on Saturday.
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Reuters said Lukashenko's office declined to comment.
A Russian online publication, Podyom, quoted a senior member of the Duma lower house of parliament, Konstantin Zatulin, as saying that "(Lukashenko) has simply fallen ill ... and probably needs a rest."
Russia's daily Kommersant also published a story about Lukashenko's health, citing Zatulin and Belarusian opposition media. Russian media rarely publish stories about the health of the leaders of Russia or its allied neighbours.
Lukashenko has been at the helm in Belarus since 1994. He is often referred to as the last dictator of Europe. His regime has suppressed dissent.
He was declared winner of the presidential elections in 2020. But the opposition had denounced the results as a sham.
Protests erupted across Belarus against result of that election. The state responded with a brutal crackdown.
Lukashenko found a strong backing from Russia and managed to stay in power.
He, in turn, supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He even offered Belarus as a launchpad for the invasion. He allowed Russian warplanes to carry out strikes from Belarus.
Belarus' Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik is expected on Monday to start this three-day visit to Moscow, Russia's foreign ministry said last week.
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