Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 25, 2025

Photo of Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko published after he missed key events

Photo of Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko published after he missed key events

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had not been seen in public for almost a week - fuelling speculation he was ill. But a photo of the leader has now been published by a state news channel to push back against the rumours.
A photo of Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, has been published by a national state news channel after speculation that he was seriously ill.

The Belarusian outlet, Pul Pervogo, posted the photo of the 68-year-old on its Telegram channel - which is known for reporting on the president - after his whereabouts were unknown for almost a week.

The channel said the president was working at a central air force command base.

In the post, he is 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 last Tuesday (9 May) at Victory Day events in Moscow, and later in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

The last public photo of him at the Russian ceremony showed him appearing unwell with his right hand bandaged up.

Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy of the Committee of CIS countries in Russia's state Duma, confirmed to Sky News that Mr Lukashenko was ill.

"The fact that he was sick was obvious even during the parade in Moscow," he said.

"I know that he is ill but I am not authorised to distribute his diagnosis."

He added it was not COVID.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin would not be drawn into matters of his health - saying there had been no official news from Belarus.

Mr Lukashenko also failed to show up at a ceremony in Minsk - the annual Day of State Emblems celebration - on Sunday.

Instead, the prime minister, Roman Golovchenko, read a message on the president's behalf.

Mr Lukashenko seemed to be ill while attending the stripped-down parade in Moscow last week, skipping parts of the commemoration that marks Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

He left Red Square in a buggy for the wreath-laying ceremony as other CIS country leaders accompanied Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, on foot to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

On his return to Minsk, Mr Lukashenko attended another wreath-laying ceremony there, but for the first time in his long presidency did not give a Victory Day address.

Mr Lukashenko's office has declined to comment.

Commenting on the rumours about Mr Lukashenko's health, the leader 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."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
×