A photograph of Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, has been revealed by a nationwide state information channel after hypothesis that he was severely sick.
The Belarusian outlet, Pul Pervogo, posted the photograph of the 68-year-old on its Telegram channel – which is understood for reporting on the president – after his whereabouts had been unknown for nearly per week.
The channel mentioned the president was working at a central air pressure command base.
In the put up, he’s standing stern-faced as he receives a salute with a bandage tied to his left hand.
Mr Lukashenko had not been seen in public since final Tuesday (9 May) at Victory Day occasions in Moscow, and later within the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
The final public photograph of him on the Russian ceremony confirmed him showing unwell together with his proper hand bandaged up.
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Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy of the Committee of CIS nations in Russia’s state Duma, confirmed to Sky News that Mr Lukashenko was sick.
“The fact that he was sick was obvious even during the parade in Moscow,” he mentioned.
“I know that he is ill but I am not authorised to distribute his diagnosis.”
He added it was not COVID.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin wouldn’t be drawn into issues of his well being – saying there had been no official information from Belarus.
Mr Lukashenko additionally failed to indicate up at a ceremony in Minsk – the annual Day of State Emblems celebration – on Sunday.
Instead, the prime minister, Roman Golovchenko, learn a message on the president’s behalf.
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Mr Lukashenko gave the impression to be sick whereas attending the stripped-down parade in Moscow final week, skipping components of the commemoration that marks Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany within the Second World War.
He left Red Square in a buggy for the wreath-laying ceremony as different CIS nation leaders accompanied Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, on foot to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On his return to Minsk, Mr Lukashenko attended one other wreath-laying ceremony there, however for the primary time in his lengthy presidency didn’t give a Victory Day tackle.
Mr Lukashenko’s workplace has declined to remark.
Commenting on the rumours about Mr Lukashenko’s well being, the chief of the Belarusian opposition in exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, tweeted that Belarusians “should be well prepared for any scenario… To turn Belarus on the path to democracy and to prevent Russia from interfering”.
Ms Tsikhanouskaya added: “We need the international community to be proactive and fast.”
Content Source: information.sky.com