President of Belarus takes stick to the face during hockey game (video)

Aleksandr Lukashenko, the first and so far only President of Belarus, was involved in a high-sticking incident during a hockey game on Saturday. Lukashenko is taking part in an annual tournament with his team. The 67-year-old, who many see as a ruthless dictator, took a stick in the face from an opponent while battling for the puck near the net.

Lukashenko has been widely criticized on the world stage for aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin in that country's invasion of Ukraine. Belarus borders both countries. Belarus, like Ukraine, declared its status as an independent nation following the fall of the Soviet Union back in the early 1990s. However, in 2000 Russia and Belarus signed a treaty forming the Union State, which aims to deepen the relationship of both countries through the integration of economic and defense policies.

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