Lukashenko's health rapidly declines amid major summit in Astana

- Lukashenko is reportedly very ill and struggling significantly with his illness, according to the Russian independent television channel Dozhd, which cited its sources. The report states that during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana this week, he suddenly felt very unwell.

Alyaksandr Lukashenko attended the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, this week. During the summit, he signed a document formally making Belarus the 10th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. However, his health condition drew the most attention from observers.

According to Dozhd, which is recognized by Russian authorities as a "foreign agent," Lukashenko's condition deteriorated rapidly within two hours of arriving in Astana, in full view of the summit participants.

- The next day, Thursday, he spoke at the summit and met with other heads of state, but it was obvious that he looked worse than he had two days earlier and even the previous day when he participated in a parade in Minsk wearing a military uniform. His face was pale, and his speech lacked confidence, said the program's author, Mikhail Fishman.

An anonymous source from the television channel disclosed that "Lukashenko is very seriously ill and is having a very hard time with his illness." The source added that "it is unknown what his specific illness is."

These reports are the latest concerning the Belarusian leader's health. Last year, during the Victory Day parade in Moscow, he rode in an electric car instead of walking a short distance to the wreath-laying site. Observers also noticed a bandage on his right forearm.

Later that same day, Lukashenko quickly returned to Belarus. That evening, he appeared at an event in Minsk but did not give his customary speech, which was unprecedented for him on Victory Day.

At the end of May, addressing his health issues, he stated that he was combating an adenovirus and assured the public that he "does not plan on dying."

Alyaksandr Lukashenko will turn 70 in August. He has been in power in Belarus since 1994.