Secret Illness: What's Wrong With Lukashenka's Health?

The dictator can barely move.

The publication Salidarnasc has collected the latest news about the health of the dictator Lukashenka. The picture is quite interesting.

Remember how in the spring of 2020 Lukashenka joked about hockey, a tractor and a bathhouse as an effective remedy against COVID-19? Four years ago, he still went out on the ice, although he did not spend as much time in the arena as in previous years.

Today, Lukashenka has difficulty taking simple walks, he noticeably limps. Official media has stopped showing him going downstairs and down the steps of aircraft. Such footage can only be seen during foreign visits.

All this once again fuels interest in questions about Lukashenka's health, this topic has been increasingly discussed in the media in recent years. And, apparently, with the approaching campaign to reappoint him to the highest government post, it will become increasingly relevant.

How Lukashenka's appearance has changed in recent years?

Let's start with the fact that he has noticeably gained weight. This was obvious even without Putin's press service, which published a photo of a significantly overweight Lukashenka at a meeting with the ruler of Russia on Valaam in July of this year.

During a visit to Azerbaijan in May 2024, the local press published photos and videos of the guest from Belarus without unnecessary retouching.

It is increasingly difficult for him to move around on his feet. And if a few years ago the press service stopped showing him going downstairs, today the shots of Lukashenka in motion are generally becoming shorter.

Apparently, it is difficult for him to just stand. As a rule, he tries to hold on to something with his hand. And increasingly, the painful discomfort from walking or standing is reflected on his face.

Lukashenka increasingly uses glasses at meetings. The text for him is printed in large font, which is visible from afar. In addition, his head has been shaking noticeably lately.

Medical condition in Moscow

In recent years, there have been several moments when the issue of the ruler's health became especially acute. Thus, on May 9, 2023, at the parade in Moscow, he looked noticeably unwell. His arm was bandaged, and after the ceremony on Red Square, Lukashenka was unable to walk even three hundred meters.

Returning to Minsk, he did not speak at the eternal flame, "entrusting" this to Defence Minister Viktar Khrenin, which had never happened before. And then he disappeared altogether, appearing in public only on May 15. At the time, he looked like an exhibit at the Tussauds Museum.

At the end of December of the same year, he held a meeting on prices in a whisper. And he also admitted then that his voice had completely disappeared.

In July of this year, Russian media reported that the Belarusian ruler felt ill at the SCO summit in Kazakhstan. The next day, he looked unwell and spoke uncertainly. After that, Lukashenka flew to his native Aleiaksandryia, where he vacationed for the Kupala celebration.

The secret of illnesses behind seven seals

Let's make a reservation right away that official information about Lukashenko's health is strictly classified. We can only guess and make assumptions based on open data.

Rumours that Lukashenka has diabetes have been circulating for a long time. His excess weight, deteriorating eyesight, bandaged hands and gait support speculation on this topic. However, all of the above, as well as tremors, may be age-related manifestations.

It is known that Lukashenka has undergone surgery on his knee joints. According to him, doctors have not yet been able to cure one of the joints. In addition, he recently told journalists about a leg injury: allegedly, while chopping wood, a log weighing 80 kg fell on his foot.

A year ago, the head of the National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushka told journalists that Lukashenka has a serious problem with his spine, which will require surgical intervention in the coming years.

Propaganda and Lukashenka's efforts over the topic of his health

Here, we can note several opposing lines. On the one hand, we are seeing a clear change in image: Lukashenka is no longer the macho that propaganda has portrayed him as for many years. Now he no longer hides the truth about his ailments, but admits it publicly.

At official events, the press service resorts to simple tricks designed to “mask” the age-related changes in the leader.

For example, when he opened the Alimp Fitness and Health Complex in Dziarzhynsk in June of this year, he took pictures with a team of Minsk region football veterans – grey-haired men his age.

At the same time, despite the problems with his legs, he still continues to chop wood and ride a motorcycle. Apparently, neither he nor his entourage are ready to completely give up public physical activity, which is intended to dispel obsessive insinuations about his health.

Meanwhile, the MotolkoHelp project analyzed the ruler's trips and made interesting conclusions about how his press service imitates the dictator's vigorous activity.

In fact, he spends much less time "in the field" than they are trying to demonstrate with the help of a stream of official videos.

By the way, in August of this year, Salidarnasc noticed an unusual report from Lukashenka's press service about his country inspections. This happened just after we linked the dictator's absence from the hurricane-affected areas of the country with his health.

That story talked about inspecting farms using a helicopter. At the same time, contrary to many years of practice, the inspector himself was never captured on camera nor was his voice heard off-camera.

It should also be noted that Lukashenka increasingly wears a sports jacket and sneakers, including on official and foreign trips. It seems that this makes it easier for him to hide his fullness and reduce the discomfort of walking.

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