Based on photos and videos, Europe reporter Geert Jan Hahn thinks he can conclude that Lukashenko has been “sniffed” again. The images, which were taken at a Belarusian airbase, show a standing Lukashenko, according to Hahn. “Today I also saw pictures of Lukashenko receiving a governor of a Russian region,” he says.
“Sometimes I thought it looked like a wax figure from Madame Tussauds”
But is it real? That’s the question Hahn keeps asking. Especially since artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role these days. Hahn then considers the possibility that a doppelgänger is present. “When I hear and see him today, it’s really him and he just looks very sick,” he says. “I sometimes thought he looked like a wax figure from Madame Tussauds, which obviously doesn’t help the rumors.”
Health
It wouldn’t be the first time that the now 68-year-old Lukashenko has disappeared from the radar for medical reasons, Hahn knows. Even if he has never been so calm around the last dictator of Europe, as he is also called.
Hahn calls it surprising that no reason was given for the absence. “It was said it wasn’t flu or covid,” he continues. ‘But what’s left a lot in between. Other than that, there’s just a lot of speculation.’
Fly
According to Eastern European expert Bob Deen, it is also significant that Lukashenko appears to have fallen ill during his visit to Moscow. According to Deen, the Belarusian president already looked “very mean” when he attended the May 9 Victory Day celebration in Moscow. “Then he also didn’t show up for a few days at all kinds of official events, where he normally plays a leading role.”
Perestroika | #175: Is Lukashenko here again?
A lunch with Putin, among other things, allowed Lukashenko to fire, which has only led to further speculation. According to Deen, this has increased the pressure on the Belarusian authorities. “Now suddenly they had to bring it back,” he continues. “Otherwise everyone would think he’s dead.”
Silence
There was also no communication from the Belarusian government – and that was exactly the wrong move, Deen thinks. “Especially if there is always speculation that Putin is poisoning people or that anything is going on,” she concludes. “So all kinds of people come up with all kinds of scenarios, because what if he’s really dead?”