2023-05-15 14:20:05
Moscow (AFP) – Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Tikhanovskaya on Monday called on people to “prepare” for political upheaval following reports of speculation that the health of Belarusian strongman President Lukashenko was deteriorating .
Since he came to power in 1994, the 68-year-old Alexander Lukashenko (Alexander Lukashenko) has not appeared in public for 6 days and has missed several important events.
He was last seen in Moscow at celebrations commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of the Nazis, but skipped a lunch hosted by his ally Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Several Russian and Belarusian journalists said Lukashenko appeared unwell during a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square.
Lukashenko’s rival, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, took to Twitter to comment on “rumors” regarding Lukashenko’s health. Tikhanovskaya went into exile in Lithuania following the opposition launched a massive protest once morest Lukashenko in 2020.
“For us, it means only one thing: we should be fully prepared for every situation,” Tikhanovskaya said.
“In order to steer Belarus towards democracy and prevent Russian interference, we need the international community to act aggressively and quickly,” she said.
Contrary to tradition, Lukashenko also did not address Belarusian veterans on May 9.
Officials have yet to comment on Lukashenko’s absence from public events.
Last year, Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a springboard for an invasion of Ukraine.
In 2020, Lukashenko, who was once the director of the collective farm, claimed to win the sixth term in the general election, which stimulated hundreds of thousands of Belarusians to take to the streets to protest.
Lukashenko’s regime has crushed unprecedented protests, imprisoning most dissidents or forcing them into exile.
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