Alexander Lukashenko, the autocratic leader of Belarus who claimed victory in another election derided as a sham, played a "dirty game" in releasing an American hostage to coincide with the ballot, the country's opposition has told Newsweek.

The E.U. has called Sunday’s election a sham. Lukashenko, running virtually unopposed, said he was “too busy” to even campaign.

Long-time leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, once dubbed "Europe's last dictator", arrived to cast his ballot. Then, while Belarusians were still voting, candidate Lukashenko gave a four-and-a-half hour press conference live on state TV.

Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet state for 31 years, held a four-hour press conference musing that some of his opponents "chose prison", after winning 88 per cent of the vote.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is projected to take victory in the virtually uncontested election by a greater margin than he did in 2020.

Alexander Lukashenko has extended his 31-year rule by winning a controversial seventh term in Belarus. Amid accusations of election rigging, political repression, and growing reliance on Russia, the autocratic leader’s grip on power remains firm.

Belarus held an orchestrated election over the weekend that the opposition and the EU rejected as a farce, extending President Lukashenko's more than 30 years in power.

MINSK: Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was on track to extend his 31 year rule with 87.6 percent of the vote in a presidential election on Sunday (Jan 26), according to an exit

Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko

The 70-year-old strongman, who has been ruling the country of 9 million since 1994, is all but certain to win a seventh five-year term.

Five years after widespread protests tried and failed to topple Alexander Lukashenko, he has once again been re-elected as President of Belarus. According to the official result, Lukashenko received a resounding victory with 87 percent of the vote. But no one really believes it.