Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko has been rushed to a hospital in Moscow and is said to be in critical condition after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Belarusian opposition leader has claimed.
Lukashenko’s opponent Valery Tsepkalo, the former candidate for Belarus Presidential Election and former ambassador to the US, said the President was rushed to the hospital following closed doors meeting with Putin.
However, he said that the information his team obtained required further information and that it had not been confirmed.
“According to the information we have, which needs additional confirmation, Lukashenko, after meeting with Putin behind closed doors, was urgently taken to the Central Clinical Hospital of Moscow, where he is now located", Tsepkalo said on Twitter.
According to preliminary information, subject to further confirmation, #Lukashenko was urgently transported to Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital after his closed-door meeting with #Putin. Currently, he remains under medical care there. Leading specialists have been mobilized to… pic.twitter.com/xTQ1O7Yp2W— Valery Tsepkalo (@ValeryTsepkalo) May 27, 2023
Tsepkalo further said that the best specialists were sent to assess the President’s condition and he could be transported due to the severity of it.
“Currently, he remains under medical care there. Leading specialists have been mobilised to address his critical condition. Blood purification procedures have been conducted, and Lukashenko’s condition has been deemed non-transportable,” he further said.
The #Kremlin has initiated "Cover-up" operation through spreading information about a scheduled medical examination of #Lukashenko, although it is no secret that he has made for himself the most advanced diagnostic equipment in his private clinic at the amount of 100 million… pic.twitter.com/lllwHg5OG2— Valery Tsepkalo (@ValeryTsepkalo) May 28, 2023
The orchestrated efforts to save the Belarusian dictator aimed to dispel speculations regarding Kremlin’s alleged involvement in his poisoning, he added further.
The opposition leader also claimed that the Kremlin initiated a “Cover-up" operation through spreading information about a scheduled medical examination of Lukashenko.
Valery Tsepkalo urged Western leaders to convene a strategic session to discuss elections and other measures to “secure the transitional period”.
This is not the first time that the Belarus President has appeared unwell amid speculation of his illness since his lack of appearance at Victory Day celebrations in Moscow’s Red Square on May 9.
However, he tried to quash the rumours this week, saying: “I’m not going to die, guys."
It comes as Lukashenko confirmed earlier this week that Russia had begun moving tactical nuclear warheads for storage to Belarus.
The Belarusian president has remained in power despite widely disputed election results, which the US and the West claim were rigged.
Lukashenko has aligned himself closely with Russia and has offered support to Putin for the ongoing war in Ukraine.