MINSK (Reuters) -Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Sunday that some of his political opponents had "chosen" to go to prison as he cast his vote in a election that was set to extend his 31-year rule.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, taking two hours to address the media at a press conference on election day, spoke at length about US President Donald Trump, Belarusian fears of being annexed by Russia and Europe's ties to Washington.

MINSK (Reuters) -Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was on track to extend his 31-year rule with 87.6% of the vote in a presidential election on Sunday, according to an exit poll broadcast on state TV,

Belarusians voted on Sunday in an election set to hand President Alexander Lukashenko a seventh term, prolonging his three-decade authoritarian rule.

Alexander Lukashenko, who has led Belarus for the past 30 years, was on Sunday set to win his seventh consecutive mandate in an election slammed by both the opposition and the European Union as a sham vote.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called the presidential "elections" in Belarus an affront to democracy and does not recognise the legitimacy of Alexander Lukashenko. Source: Kaja Kallas on X (Twitter),