Alexander Lukashenko has led Belarus since 1994. He won a sixth presidential term in a 2020 election marred by allegations of fraud and hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to protest.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday missed celebrations of symbols of the former Soviet state, after reports focused on his health.
The 68-year-old leader has not appeared in public for the past five days.
The former Soviet country on Sunday celebrated three state symbols, including its flag and national anthem.
From Minsk’s central square, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko congratulated his compatriots on behalf of Lukashenko during a televised ceremony.
Lukashenko has not been seen in public since Tuesday when he visited Moscow to take part in celebrations marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Several journalists reported that Lukashenko appeared tired in Moscow and did not participate in a luncheon hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin and attended by the leaders of Armenia and Central Asian countries.
Andrei Kolesnikov, the Kremlin correspondent for Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, wrote that Lukashenko looked “sick”.
In a break with tradition, Lukashenko also did not address Belarusian war veterans on May 9.
Lukashenko’s spokespeople have not commented on his recent whereabouts.
Alexander Lukashenko has led Belarus since 1994. He won a sixth presidential term in a 2020 election marred by allegations of fraud and hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to protest.
With Putin’s help, Lukashenko has crushed the historic protest movement and imprisoned or driven into exile all the main opposition figures.
When Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Lukashenko showed his unwavering support.
He allowed Belarusian territory to be used as a staging post for Russian intervention in Ukraine and welcomed wounded Russian fighters for treatment in the ex-Soviet country.
