The three-decade long rule of vindictive Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, 70, was extended another six years Sunday, following a staged election condemned as a sham by Western governments. After a crackdown on protests against his rule in 2020,

Victory “demonstrates your high political authority,” the Kremlin chief gushes about his counterpart in Minsk.

By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Belarusian leader and Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko extended his 31-year rule on Monday after electoral officials declared him the winner of a presidential election Western governments rejected as a sham.

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, claims to have won a landslide victory in an election already being denounced across the Western world as a “sham”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for winning a seventh term in office, saying Sunday's election showed he had the undoubted backing of the people.

Vladimir Putin praises Alexander Lukashenko's election victory and discusses military cooperation, including Oreshnik missiles in Belarus by 2025.- Watch Video on English Oneindia

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The Kremlin on Jan. 27 welcomed Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's claimed election victory, dismissing Western criticism of the vote as "expected." Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally,