President Lukashenko’s Hairstylist

I read a December 7, 2024 report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) titled Lukashenko’s Hidden Circle: The People Behind the Power. “Lukashenko” refers to long-time Belarusian president – many would with good reason say “dictator” – Alexander Lukashenko. Mr. Lukashenko and Belarus have previously made a few cameos in these pages and related publications. I once made reference to a 2017 speech by Mr. Lukashenko that lasted for 7 hours and 20 minutes, and I more recently discussed his military’s concerns that Pokémon GO is a tool of Western intelligence. Speaking of concerns about intelligence services (real or imagined), I shared with readers in the 170th edition of our humble newsletter a story about Mr. Lukashenko’s intelligence agencies using an online pornography performer as a spy.

But let us return to the link which began this article. The opening paragraph of the OCCRP report immediately caught my attention:

The Belarusian Buro Media, in cooperation with Cyberpartisans and the Belarusian Investigative Alliance, has identified the so far anonymous members of Lukashenko’s inner circle – from chefs and hairstylists to personal physicians – who have been maintaining the president’s carefully curated image while reaping the rewards of their proximity to power.

To be more accurate – one specific part of this paragraph caught my attention. Let us narrow our focus:

has identified the so far anonymous members of Lukashenko’s inner circle – from chefs and hairstylists to personal physicians…

Close – but let us narrow it further.

members of Lukashenko’s inner circle – from … hairstylists…

Right there. “Hairstylists.” Now I present for you 2024 photograph of His Excellency, President Alexander Lukashenko:

Far be it from me to tell Mr. Lukashenko what to do. In light of the fact that I can only think of one world leader whose directives are sometimes heeded by Mr. Lukashenko, I dare venture that Mr. Lukashenko is not likely to take advice from small website webmasters in the United States. But does he really need a hairstylist? I do not mean to poke at what may be a sensitive subject, but he does not have much hair. My friend correctly noted that the top of his head is very shiny, but that does not suggest that he is in dire need of a hairstylist of the caliber of Ms. Sniazhana Motsnaya. I refer to the article:

Even the president’s hairstylist, Sniazhana Motsnaya, has risen to prominence, enjoying perks like a luxury apartment. Originally from Lukashenko’s hometown of Shklov, Motsnaya embodies the intimate trust placed in those who manage his public appearance.

To be sure, Mr. Lukashenko has at times sported what appears to be a very well-done combover (as far as combovers go), but I think there are more fiscally responsible ways to attend to his hair. Perhaps a hairstylist was needed earlier in his tenure as president, but those days are in the past. Emomali Rahmon he is not.

With my concerns about Mr. Lukashenko’s hairstylist now on record – I will submit that Mr. Lukashenko’s entourage – at least according to the OCCRP report, does not seem to be as extravagantly compensated as one might expect from the fact of the existence of the report itself and Mr. Lukashenko’s broad authority to do whatever it is he wants within the confines of Belarus. Is $3,000 a month for his personal celebrity chef who was, according to the report, once praised by former French President François Hollande, unreasonable? That seems fair to me. Impressing the French President is not a good credential in and of itself. But one must suspect that French presidents such as Mr. Hollande (you should follow the link) eat well. Impressing the President of France seems like a good credential for a chef. The report then notes that one of Mr. Lukashenko’s personal physicians, Ms. Alena Kazak, is a “reanimation specialist” who has a “modest official salary” but nevertheless has seen her career benefit from proximity to Mr. Lukashenko. But say what one will, Mr. Luakshenko looks healthy given his age (68) and the stress (much of it could have been avoided, granted) of being president of a country facing challenges such as unrest related to questionable election practices, economic sanctions, and its powerful neighbor and sometimes-patron starting a massive land war on right across the border. Whatever his reanimation specialist is doing, it seems to be working – especially since Mr. Lukashenko has also proven that he is an elite hockey and tennis practitioner and plays at least two hours of sports every day. I submit additionally that he appears to be well-fed, perhaps a little bit too well-fed if we compare recent photos to photos from earlier in his presidency – so who could blame Belarusian TV viewers from tuning into a show featuring his chef?

But I digress. I conclude by regrettably bringing up another mystery when we still have not figured out exactly what it is Mr. Lukashenko’s traveling hairstylist is attending to these days. Why does Mr. Lukashenko keep giving interviews to BBC? Does he just enjoy arguing? We must leave that mystery for another day.