President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia’s leader, Vladimir V. Putin, has been making signs of reaching out to the West. He is all but certain to win an election on Sunday.

Presidential incumbent Alexander Lukashenko appears to have achieved hero status too. "We call him Bat'ka," says Sergei Syrankov, referring to Belarusians' affectionate nickname for the 70-year-old, meaning 'father'.

Belarusians go to the polls this weekend to vote in a presidential election that is almost certain to see incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko returned to office for a seventh term. The country was rocked by the largest mass protests since independence in the massively falsified previous elections in August 2020,