According to rumors confirmed by a member of the Russian government, Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, is ill. Reports of the illness's severity vary. While he was recently in Moscow for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations, he was noticeably less mobile than the other leaders gathered and was seen carrying some sort of electronic device. Since then, his only public appearance has been in a still photo and a brief video message on Telegram in which he appeared bandaged with a hoarse voice. While it is possible that he will recover, it is also possible that the nearly 70-year-old dictator will not. Nevertheless, the West should start to prepare for the eventuality of his death, because once it happens, it is unlikely that Belarus will exist much longer as a truly independent state. While Lukashenko has been grooming his third son, Nikolai, for leadership, he is not yet ready to take over, having not even reached the age of 20.
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