{"id":94752,"date":"2024-07-10T14:10:47","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T11:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/94752\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","slug":"lukasenka-health-complaints-spark-rumors","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/94752\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka health complaints spark rumors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, 69, sparked health rumors when he said on July 6 that he would stay in his home village for a while to rest and recover. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (freepik)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He admitted that July is a hard month for him because he participated in many official events, including the Independence Day parade on July 3 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit held in Astana the same day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No longer an iron man<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka said it takes “literally in a day to become healthy, strong, as you were before, in the times when you walked on this land. You recover very quickly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He complained of being tired of crowds of people, some of whom hate him deep down inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These revelations certainly did not come easy. For many years he cast himself as a strongman, a man of iron health and a macho. He skied, played ice hockey and did hard peasant work, scything grass and chopping wood, for the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, he looks exhausted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gossip<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rumors about his poor health circulated in May 2023 after he appeared ill at the Victory Day ceremony in Minsk and then at the parade in Moscow, with his arm bandaged. He was taken in an electric car to the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, he disappeared from public view for almost a week. And when he was shown at the Central Command Post of the Air\/Air Defense Forces on May 15, some compared the commander-in-chief to a wax exhibit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time and again, observers noticed that \u0141uka\u0161enka was limping, speaking hoarsely and was short of breath. Occasionally, he had an uncontrolled head tremor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, he missed his team’s hockey game. “I was chopping wood. A chunk of wood, about 80 kilograms, fell on my foot,” he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On May 9 this year, \u0141uka\u0161enka lagged behind other heads of state to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dozhd TV <\/em>reported last month \u0141uka\u0161enka fell sick at the Astana summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succession could be difficult<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In dictatorships, the leader\u2019s health is always a top secret. We can only guess how serious \u0141uka\u0161enka’s ailments really are. But clearly he is not getting younger and healthier, there is no way to go against nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aware of it, he talks more and more about the inevitable change of generations in the government. He rewrote the constitution to empower the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly to smooth over power transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 30 years in power, he still does not dare to step down. He has another job as chairman of the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly. He also announced that he will run in the presidential election next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has already launched his campaign, some analysts said, pointing to his political grandstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He continues reprisals to keep disloyal citizens in fear, but has just released a handful of political prisoners to improve his image and appease the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka is clearly uncomfortable with the idea of inevitable succession. Distrustful and suspicious, he probably recalls the sad experience of Nursultan Nazarbayev. And he is not sure that anyone else will be able to cope with his job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The autocratic ruler is surrounded by obedient servants with no other competitive politicians left in the country, except for himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many masters of glorification, but will they be ruthless to their enemies and flexible in relations with Russia? Will they be cunning, to slip between the drops, to stop intrigues and conspiracies at the root, and finally, at a critical moment, to hold on to power with an iron grip? Such a set of talents and skills combined with a ferocious will is truly rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka must be afraid to step down, fearing for his life and his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may be thinking of passing the reins to one of his sons, but Mika\u0142aj is too young, D\u017amitryj is clearly not fond of politics, while Viktar does not seem to be ambitious enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dskaja will not just come and take it<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Until recently, \u0141uka\u0161enka was hesitant about the transfer of power. Some say he may end up like Josef Stalin. People in his inner circle and many officials may be wondering what will happen next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another reason for the autocrat not to name a successor. Because then he would be perceived as a lame duck, and officials would look down on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some officials must be worried about their future without \u0141uka\u0161enka. What if the system really collapses without his steady hand and the opposition will hang servants of the regime from lampposts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understandably, opponents are looking forward to the end of his rule – it is not without reason that he mentioned those who hate him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some say that this will be the day when stores will run out of sparkling wine. It may well be true, but hangover can be severe. The problem is not just the brutal charismatic ruler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current system has many supporters, including law enforcers, officials, business owners with connections in the government, ordinary people who are afraid of war, a significant number of pensioners, state sector employees and simply stubborn supporters of \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, one should not expect that opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja will simply come and take power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Brother watching<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some say that a new president will have to loosen the screws, but what if \u0141uka\u0161enka hands over power to a bloodstained hardliner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, there is also Moscow, which is closely watching. It will try to tighten its grip on Belarus even before \u0141uka\u0161enka is out of office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would the Kremlin let a potential reformer have his way? Or would it just annex Belarus, a strategic outpost? There are plenty of pro-Russian officials in local governments and especially among the law enforcers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end of \u0141uka\u0161enka’s rule will be a turning point unless Belarus loses its independence while \u0141uka\u0161enka is still in office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently mentioned a single currency and a single parliament. It remains to be seen, however, who will better use this opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"