What Happened to Lukashenko: He Missed the Ceremony Celebrating Belarus's Flag, Emblem, and Anthem Day

Belarusian media report that during the ceremony for the Day of the State Flag, Emblem, and Anthem in Minsk, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko spoke on behalf of President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko himself was absent from the event.

This absence has fueled speculation regarding Lukashenko's health.

According to several independent Belarusian media outlets, the president has not appeared in public since May 9, when he attended the Victory Parade in Moscow. In Moscow, he was seen with a bandage on his hand. He also did not attend the informal dinner with leaders of CIS member states.

The last time Lukashenko was publicly seen was on May 9 during the Victory Day event in Minsk, where he also did not give a speech. Some media outlets report that Lukashenko is in the hospital, though this information has not been officially confirmed.