Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said in a statement that he went through the coronavirus "on his feet" and asymptomatically.
"The most surprising thing is that today you are meeting with a man who managed to go through the coronavirus on his feet. Doctors made such a conclusion yesterday. Asymptomatically," the president said.
Comment: Yup, as did around a third of the planet's population.
Lukashenko made this statement during a meeting with leadership and personnel from departments of the National Security System during a visit to military Unit 3214 of the Interior Ministry's troops.
Prior to this, the Belarusian president decided not to cancel the military parade this year, despite the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to refrain from any mass events, including political ones. Speaking during the 9 May parade, he said Belarus "had no other choice", since the country was a living monument to the war and those who died in it.
Lukashenko emphasised that the local response to COVID-19 chosen by Belarus instead of isolation was justifying itself.
Comment: Big brass balls!
Political trouble is brewing for Lukashenko, however, so this stance of his on Covid-19 may turn out to be one last 'hurrah' for freedom from him.