
MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko made new appointments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armed Forces, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Aleinik, who until now held the post of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus.
Andrei Lukyanovich has been appointed Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Previously, he served as Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense - Chief of Aviation.

"Well, we cannot appoint such people behind closed doors. Therefore, I invited you to announce your appointment in public," the head of state said, welcoming Sergei Aleinik and Andrei Lukyanovich.
The president said that he had a detailed discussion with them the other day. The head of state signed the decrees on their appointment in the presence of the new minister and new Air Force and Air Defense commander.
Sergei Aleinik thanked the head of state for high trust. “It is not going to be an easy job for you,” the Belarusian leader said.
Andrei Lukyanovich replied as a military: “I serve the Republic of Belarus, Comrade Commander-in-Chief!” “The situation is, too, complicated [within the purview of the commander's duties]”, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
He once again congratulated both of them on their appointment and wished them success at their new posts.
Sergei Aleinik's bio
BORN: 1965, in Minsk
EDUCATION: Graduated with honors from the translators department of the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages, 1986; attended the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria, 1992-1993;
worked as deputy secretary of the Komsomol Committee of the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages, 1986-1988;
served in the Armed Forces, 1988-1992.
CAREER: Third secretary of the consular section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1992; head of the passport and visa department of the consular directorate, 1993-1994; Deputy Head of the State Protocol Division, Deputy Head of the State Protocol Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, 1994-1995; consul - head of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Belarus in The Hague, 1995-1996; counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, 1996-1999; acting head, head of the State Protocol Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1999-2002;

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva (Swiss Confederation), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Holy See, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta concurrently (when relieved of the post of Permanent Representative in 2009 retained part-time functions), 2002-2009;
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, 2009-2013;
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and concurrently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Ireland, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Holy See, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the International Maritime Organization, 2013-2020;
Appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus on 24 August 2020;
Appointed First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus on 14 February 2022;
Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus on 13 December 2022.
Sergei Aleinik has the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Fluent in English and German. Married, father of two sons.