Former ambassador of Belarus to Germany dead
After being recalled as Ambassador of Belarus (formerly White Russia) in Germany, Diplomat Denis Sidorenko passed away at the age of 48 in his hometown. The Foreign Ministry in Minsk announced his passing only after reports from independent Belarusian media, stating that the "beloved colleague, extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus in Germany (2016-2024)" had passed away.
No cause of death was given. Several independent Belarusian media, working in exile abroad, reported that the father of a family had jumped out of a window of a high-rise building in Minsk on June 24th.
An official confirmation of suicide was not provided. The ruler Alexander Lukashenko, referred to as the last dictator in Europe, governs Belarus with an iron fist, continues to enforce the death penalty, and allows no free media reporting. He had recalled Sidorenko, who had advocated for good relations with the European Union, from Germany.
Sidorenko remained in service during the protests against Lukashenko in 2020, which were then brutally suppressed. Many pro-Western Belarusians remained abroad or went into hiding.
The opposition politician Pavel Latushko, an exile living in the EU and himself a former diplomat, stated that Sidorenko was a man with pro-European and democratic views. However, he had decided to serve Lukashenko's regime, returned to Belarus, and became a problem for the power apparatus, according to Latushko in an interview with the Belarusian portal "Serkalo". The report states that Sidorenko experienced severe psychological stress through the lie detector tests of the KGB.
Upon his return to Belarus after being recalled as the former Ambassador to Germany, Sidorenko faced intense scrutiny from the regime due to his pro-European views. Despite the challenges, the lintel of his diplomatic career remained steadfast, serving as a reminder of his remarkable tenure in Germany (2016-2024).
