By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Belarusian leader and Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko extended his 31-year rule on Monday after electoral officials declared him the winner of a presidential election that Western governments rejected as a sham.

Alexander Lukashenko, the autocratic leader of Belarus who claimed victory in another election derided as a sham, played a "dirty game" in releasing an American hostage to coincide with the ballot, the country's opposition has told Newsweek.

Many Western leaders are decrying Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election victory Sunday, calling it a sham along with the country's opposition.

Vladimir Putin praises Alexander Lukashenko's election victory and discusses military cooperation, including Oreshnik missiles in Belarus by 2025.- Watch Video on English Oneindia

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko extended his rule with a controversial win in an election rejected by Western nations as illegitimate. Securing 86.8% of the vote, Lukashenko's victory lacked free and fair conditions,

STORY: Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko extended his 31-year rule with a massive election win.The country held a presidential election on Sunday.According to results published on the Central Election Commission's Telegram account,

As an East African bloc urged an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma extended their advance on Wednesday, and Congo said it planned a campaign to recover lost territory.

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Belarus has opened early voting for a presidential election set to cement Alexander Lukashenko’s grip on ...

Vladimir Putin is set to deploy Oreshnik hypersonic missiles to Belarus 'any day now' according to Belarusian dictator, and Kremlin stooge, Alexander Lukashenko . The so-called 'wonder weapon' reaches up to 4,000C and could reportedly reach Britain in nine minutes.

As Belarus votes amid repression, what drives Alexander Lukashenko, the president likely to secure a seventh term.

Belarus on Sunday held an orchestrated election virtually guaranteed to give its 70-year-old autocrat, Alexander Lukashenko, yet another presidential term on top of his three decades in power.