Senior Officials Stand In For Lukashenko Amid Reports Of Ill Health

Russian lawmaker Konstantin Zanutin confirmed to Podyem news website that President Alexander Lukashenko has fallen ill and "probably needs some rest." The report comes after Lukashenko missed another key state event over the weekend, while local opposition news outlets reported that he was hospitalised, fuelling speculation over the condition of his health.

• Lukashenko failed to attend official celebrations of the Day of the National Emblem and Flag in Minsk on Sunday and was replaced by Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, which came after he visibly struggled at the Victory Day parade in Moscow and had to cut short his trip to Russia, while opposition media reported that a presidential motorcade rushed to a hospital on Saturday.
• Former Culture Minister and opposition activist Pavel Latushko said that Lukashenko is suffering from myocarditis caused by an infection. Nasha Niva had earlier reported that some of Lukashenko's close aides have also fallen ill and suspect a viral infection, albeit unconfirmed speculation of poisoning has also been doing the rounds in opposition media.
• Lukashenko's indisposition has significant domestic and international ramifications, due to Belarus' personalised political system. So far, his usual duties have been distributed among multiple senior officials, as Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin spoke at the Moscow parade last week, while Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko replaced him at the Minsk events over the weekend.
• Internationally, Belarus has played an important albeit complicated role in Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine. Despite refusing to formally join the war itself, it served as a platform for the Russian offensive and remained one of Moscow's closest allies. The two countries are set to hold talks on foreign policy this week, with Belarus represented by its Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik.