In related news, the remaining Central European dictator, Putin's unpopular buddy Lukashenko, seems to be under the weather. His grip on Belarus was tightened with the help of Russian forces who crushed dissent.
"Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko is reportedly in hospital after struggling last week during a visit to Moscow and skipping lunch with Vladimir Putin.
Lukashenko, 68, missed a national event on Sunday to celebrate the flag, emblem and anthem of Belarus, during which his prime minister read on his behalf a message of good wishes for his compatriots.
Last week, Lukashenko cut short his participation in the Victory Day events held in Moscow during which his host Putin vowed to continue his war in Ukraine.
Lukashenko has been a staunch ally of Putin, also offering since last year Belarus as a base for the Russian military to pursue its strikes against Ukraine. Lukashenko was taken to a hospital near Minsk on Saturday evening, according to Euroradio and other independent Belarusian news outlets that did not cite their sources. The news has not been confirmed by the country’s state media."
FT.com