Denis Sidorenko, until recently ambassador of Belarus, allegedly committed suicide. After intensive interrogations by state security, he fell from a high-rise building in the Belarusian capital Minsk. He was 48 years old.

Sidorenko was very popular among the diplomatic community during his unusually long post in Germany — from 2016 to 2024. Belarus was isolated by the official German side and, for example, not invited to the Federal President's diplomatic New Year's reception. But the ambassador himself and his wife were highly respected.

Shortly before his abrupt dismissal as ambassador in Berlin a few months ago, he had firmly agreed to answer questions from presenter Ewald König on the talk show “diplo.international” on the capital city television TV Berlin. This was not to happen.

Sidorenko was released from this post by decree of President Alexander Lukashenko in March 2024. After returning from Germany, he was apparently targeted by the state security and was subjected to lengthy interrogations.

The post of ambassador in Berlin has been vacant ever since.

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Sidorenko and his wife spoke perfect German, English, French, Russian and Belarusian. Before becoming ambassador in Berlin, Sidorenko was an envoy at the embassy in Vienna.

One of his predecessors as Belarusian Ambassador in Berlin, Andrei Giro, had also died completely unexpectedly in 2015 at the age of 48.

Eko‍