Exact Sign Not Revealed... Suspicions Spread
Ukraine "Belarus Attempted Poisoning to Lead Participation"
Vladimir Makei, Belarus Foreign Minister, during a press conference while alive. [Image source=AP·Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Vladimir Makei, the Belarusian Foreign Minister who had consistently experienced diplomatic friction with Russia, suddenly died, raising suspicions that Russia may have attempted poisoning. The Russian government dismissed the poisoning rumors mainly raised by Ukraine and Western countries and expressed condolences over Minister Makei's death.
According to Belarusian state news agency BelTA on the 27th (local time), Minister Makei suddenly died at home at the age of 64 the previous day. Although the exact cause of death has not yet been revealed, it is known that Minister Makei showed no particular signs of poor health. Belarusian independent media Nasha Niva, citing sources, reported, "Minister Makei appears to have died of a heart attack at home," adding, "Suspicious doubts have been raised regarding his sudden death."
Due to Minister Makei's sudden death, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister who was scheduled to hold talks with him in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on the 28th, announced that he would postpone his visit to Belarus.
Ukraine has raised suspicions that Russia poisoned Minister Makei. Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Russian Interior Minister, posted on his social media, "Rumors are circulating that Minister Makei was poisoned." It is highly likely that Russia eliminated Minister Makei, who had warned against Belarus's excessive pro-Russian actions during his lifetime.
According to the BBC, unlike Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has consistently pursued pro-Russian policies, Minister Makei was known as the only politician who criticized Russia and communicated with Western countries within Belarus. Even after the Ukraine war, he was evaluated as showing anti-Russian behavior, such as not recognizing the independence of the pro-Russian rebel forces in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).
Ukraine claims that Russia poisoned him as a means of threat to induce Belarus's participation in the war. Earlier, on the 25th, Ukraine's state news agency Ukrinform cited a report from the U.S. think tank Robert Lansing Institute, stating, "The Russian military intelligence ordered the creation of scenarios including assassination attempts targeting President Lukashenko," and reported, "Russia is planning a scenario to remove President Lukashenko and hand over power to a figure completely loyal to Russia."
The Russian government has dismissed these poisoning rumors. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement that day, "We were shocked by the news of Minister Makei's death," and "We will officially express our condolences."
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