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Belarus bromance: Lukashenko gushes over ‘sane, healthy’ Putin, says he’s in ‘better shape than ever’

March 20, 2022 | | Print Article

The bromance between Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin blossomed on Japanese television, as Lukashenko gushed over the diabolical Putin, saying, he is in “better shape than ever,” contrary to recent U.S. reports that Putin is acting “delusional” and “erratic.”

Lukashenko, who self-identifies as Europe’s “last dictator,” was interviewed on TBS, a Japanese television station, and couldn’t stop praising his wartime ally, with whom he claims to have a close relationship.

“He and I haven’t only met as heads of state, we’re on friendly terms,” Lukashenko stated. “I’m absolutely privy to all his details, as far as possible, both state and personal.”

 

It was from Belarus that Putin staged his northern ground attack on Ukraine, as troops stormed across the Russian border east of the country, according to the New York Post.

At the beginning of the month, Lukashenko broadcast what appeared to be a battle plan for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the former Soviet republic of Moldova, The Post reported at the time.

“The blatant invasion map divided Ukraine into four sections, where lines of attack it highlighted had already been executed by Russia, except for what appeared to a planned attack on the Moldova breakaway state of Transnistria through Ukraine’s port of Odessa, Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan noted,” The Post wrote.

In the Japanese interview, despite Russia’s heavy losses since the onset of the war, Lukashenko dismissed the notion that Putin made an error in judgment when he decided to occupy Ukraine.

As the war enters its fourth week, Russia has seen five of its generals die in combat, according to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to social media and warned Moscow that, if the war continues, it would take Russia “several generations” to recover from its losses.

But according to Lukashenko, that’s no reason to question Putin’s state-of-mind.

“Putin is absolutely fit, he’s in better shape than ever … This is a completely sane, healthy person, physically healthy — he’s an athlete,” Lukashenko said. “As they say here, he’ll catch a cold at all our funerals.”

Lukashenko went on to call the collapse of the Soviet Union a “tragedy,” claiming that Ukraine, formerly under the control of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, is an “inalienable part” of Russia.

It’s an interesting choice of words, as they echo the Kremlin’s sentiments towards Taiwan, with respect to China.

A Feb. 4 joint statement from the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China stated: “The Russian side reaffirms its support for the One-China principle, confirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan.”

“While the USSR existed, the world was multipolar and one pole balanced the other,” Lukashenko said. “Now the reason for what’s happening in the world is unipolarity — the monopolization of our planet by the United States of America.”

Meanwhile, Putin is catching global flack for, of all things, his wardrobe.

At a rally in Moscow aimed at boosting the morale of Russian troops and citizens, it was noted that Putin was wearing expensive designer clothes, including a £10,000 Loro Piana jacket, an Italian Kiton roll-neck sweater that sports a £2,400 price tag, according to the Daily Mail.

Others, such as CNN analyst Bianna Golodryga, valued the ensemble even higher, stating, “The Emperor has no (Russian made) clothes.”

“With Russia feeling the the impact of sanctions, it is unclear which of Putin’s aides thought it wise for him to don a coat costing 25 times the nation’s average monthly wage,” the Daily Mail wrote.

It’s a look that couldn’t be more opposite from Zelenskyy’s now famous khaki T-shirts, which have given him the appearance of an average Ukrainian guy, even as he addressed Congress via videolink.

This, too, however, brought out the fashion police.

Somewhere, in Heaven, Joan Rivers is laughing.

Melissa Fine
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