Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey has died at the age of 64. The state news agency Belta reported a "sudden death" without giving any further details. Nothing was known about diseases.

Makej had been Foreign Minister of the authoritarian country for ten years and was one of the confidants of long-time ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Before becoming a minister, he was head of the presidential administration. At times, Makej was also traded as a possible successor to Lukashenko.

The first expressions of condolences have come from Russia, the closest ally of Belarus (formerly Belarus). "We are shocked by the reports of the death of Belarus' foreign minister," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Lukashenko has been in power in the former Soviet republic for more than a quarter of a century.