German foreign minister calls election ‘bitter day’, while Vladimir Putin congratulates autocrat on ‘confident victory’

Western leaders and the Belarusian opposition have denounced Alexander Lukashenko’s victory in Sunday’s stage-managed election, which will extend his ruthless three-decade grip on the country for another six years.

The German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, called the vote a “bitter day for all those who long for freedom and democracy”.

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© Photograph: Marek Antoni Iwanczuk/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

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© Photograph: Marek Antoni Iwanczuk/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

Europe’s longest-serving leader won re-election in a contest widely believe to have been rigged. The result cements the power of a leader whose country is considered Russia’s staunchest ally.

© Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters

Putin ally comfortably wins vote that US and EU have said could not be free or fair

Alexander Lukashenko has secured a seventh five-year term as Belarusian president in a resounding election victory that western governments have rejected as a sham.

Lukashenko won 86.8% of the vote in Sunday’s election, according to results published by the country’s electoral commission.

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© Photograph: Belarus President Press-Service/EPA

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© Photograph: Belarus President Press-Service/EPA

Autocrat conducts rambling press conference as his 31 years of rule are extended by an election dismissed outside the country as a sham

Belarusian autocrat Alexander Lukashenko said he had “no regrets” about allowing Russia to use his country to invade Ukraine, amid condemnation of the “sham” presidential vote that extended his 31 years of authoritarian rule.

Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said on Sunday that the vote was a “bitter day for all those who long for freedom and democracy”.

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© Photograph: Belarus President Press-Service/EPA

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© Photograph: Belarus President Press-Service/EPA

The 70-year-old former collective farm boss has been in power in reclusive, Moscow-allied Belarus since 1994

Belarusians began voting on Sunday, with president Alexander Lukashenko expected to cruise to victory unchallenged for a seventh term, prolonging his three-decade authoritarian rule.

Lukashenko – a 70-year-old former collective farm boss – has been in power in reclusive, Moscow-allied Belarus since 1994.

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© Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

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© Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP