Belarus leader appears in public, dismisses talk of bad illness

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with the governor of Russia's Vladimir Region Alexander Avdeyev, in Minsk, Belarus, May 16, 2023. Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko appeared in public on Tuesday and dismissed talk he was seriously ill, telling officials, "I'm not going to die, guys," according to a video shown by a state-run media outlet said.

Lukashenko, 68, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies. Rumours about the state of his health have circulated since he appeared at a military parade in Moscow on May 9, looking tired and a little unsteady.