Published: Less than 20 min ago
Belarus’ authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko was absent on Sunday from a televised ceremony in central Minsk where the country saluted three state symbols, including its flag. Instead, it was Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko who gave a speech and congratulated the residents on Lukashenko’s behalf.
Lukashenko’s spokespeople have not disclosed his whereabouts.
68-year-old Lukashenko, according to the AFP news agency, has not been seen in public for five days, since he traveled to Moscow on Tuesday to participate in the celebration of the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
After the Moscow trip, speculation about Lukashenko’s state of health has gained momentum, after journalists on the spot noted, among other things, that he canceled a lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also did not deliver his traditional speech to Belarusian war veterans on Victory Day.
Aleksandr Lukashenko is usually called Europe’s last dictator and is one of Putin’s closest allies.