The Profile: Aleksandr Lukashenko

The president of Belarus, who clung to power in the face of mass protests and was under scrutiny again following events at the Tokyo Olympics and the death of a dissident

In brief:

Name and role: Aleksandr Lukashenko, president of Belarus

Age: 66

Appearance: white-haired, black-moustachioed, besuited dictator

Newsworthiness: the regime of Europe’s “last dictator” is under renewed scrutiny following the travails of an Olympic sprinter and the death of an activist in Kiev

In depth:

Among the scenes of record-breakers at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, one of the most memorable moments occurred when a Belarusian sprinter sought help after an attempted “kidnapping” by her ...