Lukashenko's tangled personal life casts shadow on 2025 vote
According to all available information, Alexander Lukashenko has walked down the aisle only once. His chosen partner was Galina, whom he used to visit for dates 4 kilometres away. At some point, however, the first lady disappeared, and the dictator's parade of mistresses began.
On January 26, 2025, "elections" will take place in Belarus, where once again, Alexander Lukashenko will pretend to have won the people's mandate. However, during the swearing-in, one key figure will certainly be absent. Although there was never an official divorce, the dictator's first and probably only wife disappeared from public view.
Apparently, it was love at first sight. He was a tall and handsome young man, adored by girls, and she was a petite long-haired brunette. They acted together in a school play. Alexander was Father Frost, and Galina Rodionovna Zhauniarovich played a snowflake.
Lukashenko's first love
Lukashenko was determined to win the heart of his chosen one. For every date with the girl, he travelled 4 kilometres one way. He came with flowers, lent her books, and sought the approval of her mother, a teacher who was strict with her daughters. Eventually, he succeeded, and they became a couple.
"Sasha was so handsome that he often hosted school parties. Many girls were in love with him. Because of this, I had a lot of trouble. They said she came and took the best guy," Galina Rodionovna recounted in 2005 in an interview with "Komsomolskaya Pravda."
Eventually, the couple walked down the aisle in 1975. Very quickly, life became difficult, and rumours reached Galina's ears. Her newlywed husband was already eyeing skirts. When the couple's first son was born, Galina spent a year with him in hospitals. What was her husband doing during that time?
The dictator's mistresses
Instead of staying with the family, he focused on gaining influence. When he started his political career, he moved to Minsk alone, leaving his wife at home to take care of the children and her mother. Years later, the sons moved to live with their father, and Galina was left alone. Over time, the family home became a kind of prison for her. She can visit the capital only on holidays and is not allowed to speak to the press.
Lukashenko has two sons with Galina—Viktor and Dmitry. The first is the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the second serves in the border protection forces. The dictator's favourite, however, is his youngest son, Kola, whom he had with one of his mistresses.
Irina Abelskaya became Alexander Lukashenko's personal doctor after his first presidential election victory. She was like his shadow. While Galina was confined at home, Irina accompanied the dictator on all trips and public appearances. In 2004, Kola was born. Although it has never been publicly confirmed that she is the mother, the resemblance is hard to deny.
The affair with the personal doctor was not the dictator's only indiscretion. Lukashenko loves surrounding himself with beautiful women. There is no official confirmation of new women entering his life, but the press has reported, for example, on singer Irina Darafeyeva, who allegedly moved into the presidential villa and later pursued a political career.
Miss Russia, Svetlana Korolova, also lived in the dictator's residence, and later Polina Shuba (Miss Belarus 2008) began appearing alongside Lukashenko. They met for the first time at a beauty pageant, later in 2011 at her prom, Lukashenko danced with Shuba, and in 2014 he even took her to visit... his official mother-in-law.
On social media in 2019, a video appeared showing the dictator dancing a waltz with her at a Viennese ball. Shuba is currently a television presenter. Officially in 2015, she married a Belarusian special forces officer, but she still appears alongside Lukashenko.
