Lukashenka's dynasty: Wealth, power, and privilege in Belarus

Aleksandr Lukashenka has been ruling Belarus for 30 years and has three sons and seven grandchildren. However, the extended Lukashenka family includes many more individuals, all of whom have become wealthy thanks to their proximity to the dictator, as Belsat TV describes.

The oldest son of Lukashenka, Viktar, became his father's assistant for national security in 2005. From 2007 to 2021, he was a member of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, and in 2019, he became the deputy head of the Belarusian National Olympic Committee. He replaced his father as chairman in 2021.

As Belsat writes, Viktar Lukashenka, who received the rank of reserve major general, is responsible for security services and heads the Interagency Council of Special Units, which includes numerous force structures and oversees various special forces units.

As Belsat writes, it is unofficially known that Viktar has ties to influential businessmen around his father, and his wife Lilia "is likely responsible for the family's business with Serbian developers - the Karić brothers," who have carried out projects in the Belarusian capital.

Viktar and Lilia have four children: Viktoryia, Alaksandr, Valeryia, and Jaraslaw. Involving nine-year-old Viktoryia, Belarusfilm made the film "On the Back of the Black Cat" in 2007, which featured Russian singer Philip Kirkorov.

The middle son of the Belarusian dictator, Dzmitry, is the chairman of the Presidential Sports Club, an influential organization that organizes lotteries and oversees the restaurant business. Dzmitry is the honorary consul of Ethiopia in Belarus and thus also responsible for contacts with African regimes. Dzmitry also - through influential businessmen - participated with his wife Hanna in a housing project for which Lukashenka granted them a piece of state land.

Today, Hanna Lukashenka is best known for writing songs under the pseudonym Hanna Sialuk. Among her "hits," played on Belarusian radio and television, are: "Ah, Alaksandr" (clearly dedicated to her father-in-law), "Belarusian Wife," "Bulba-dance," "Appreciate Our Man," the Prosecutor General's Office anthem, and a song about the Year of Quality - writes Belsat. Hanna Lukashenka is also unofficially involved in several companies.

Moreover - as the portal station lists - "Hanna's sister, Tacciana Kulakova, holds a managerial position in a media company that produces programs for Belarusian television by state order. Her husband, Alaksiej Kulakou, owns several companies and runs a tennis club, which is part of the structure of the 'Presidential Sports Club.' Kulakou is also a co-owner of the Fabriq restaurant in the capital's centre.

Lukashenka's youngest son, Mikalai, was born in 2004 by the state leader's doctor, Iryna Abielska. Even before he turned four, Mikalai started appearing with his father at public events. Since then, he has regularly participated in nearly all such events involving his father, including foreign visits.

The youngest son of the Belarusian leader officially began studies at the biological faculty of the Belarusian State University. A special study program was created for him, a trusted group was gathered, and premises, programs, and teaching materials were modernized, writes Belsat. Despite this, according to Chinese sources, Mikalai is currently studying not in his homeland but in China.

Also, Iryna Abielska, commonly known as "Kolia's mom," has held lucrative positions for years. She heads the Republican Clinical Medical Centre of the President's Administration of Belarus and the founder of the private Minsk International Gymnasium, where almost all the children of Lukashenka's so-called elite, including family members, are educated.

"The gymnasium building was built within two years, gaining exclusive opportunities and unprecedented privileges from the authorities. Only in the years 2020-2022 the school received educational equipment worth over CAD 135,000 from budget funds: laptops, musical equipment, copiers. Moreover, the state compensated the gymnasium for student meal costs amounting to CAD 2,000 monthly. In 2022, another CAD 55,000 was pulled from taxpayers' pockets for cleaning the area and buildings. And all this with the tuition fee for one student amounting to 1,100 rubles (CAD 460) per month. Currently, Abielska's gymnasium is one of the few private secondary schools allowed to operate in Belarus," reports Belsat. Abielska's mother and her older son also benefit from their proximity to power, according to the publication.

The Lukashenka family enjoys numerous assets, including positions, income from state money, and various privileges. Lukashenka himself owns at least 18 residences. He can also boast a rich car collection, which includes a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard, a Maybach 62, a Mercedes S W221, and an Audi A8 II.

In 2020, the Belarusian leader acquired a new plane - a Gulfstream G550 private jet, which costs over CAD 80 million. Earlier, it was reported that Lukashenka's aviation fleet included three planes: the American Boeing 737-800/BBJ2 (EW-001PA), the Canadian Bombardier Challenger 850 (EW-301PJ), the Yak-40 (EW-88187), and the Mi-8 helicopter (EW-25049). In 2018, the Tu-154M, which previously served as the No. 1 aircraft, was put up for sale for CAD 2.7 million - informs Belsat.