This is interesting in that there are also rumors that Belarus' President Lukashenko is next on the Kremlin's hit list. That’s according to Robert Lansing Institute for Global Threats and Democracies Studies, a U.S.-based think tank, Ukrinform reports:

“On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his return from the latest CSTO summit, the Russian military intelligence may attempt in the coming days to pursue a scenario involving either an assassination attempt targeting Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko or its imitation, with the aim of ultimately intimidating the latter and prompting him to finally order his troops to directly engage in the war on Ukraine, alongside Russian troops,” sources report.

So, get rid of Makei and Lukashenko, put in CSTO General Secretary Stanislav Zas, who is “fully loyal to Russia and under GRU’s control,” and you have Belarus' entire army to serve as cannon fodder in Ukraine. So the theory goes anyway.

Source: Washington Post

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei has died, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday, providing scant detail.

On Facebook, the ministry wrote Saturday that Makei “died suddenly today.” It also posted a picture of Makei on Twitter, writing in English that he “has passed away,” without saying where or how he died. He was 64.

The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. State media outlet Belta reported his death, citing a ministry spokesperson, but also did not provide further details.

Makei had for years been in the orbit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, becoming foreign minister in 2012. Previously, Makei served as an assistant and later as chief of staff to Lukashenko, according to a biography on the ministry’s website, which says he was married and had three children.