The president of Belarus has fired three officials including a governor for keeping cows in poor conditions at a local farm.
Video aired by state television showed Alexander Lukashenko, an avid farmer himself, scolding the managers and the governor on a visit to the farm in the northern Mogilev region on Tuesday.
The cows were shown walking in the manure with mud caked on their bodies while Mr Lukashenko was telling off the officials who stood motionless.
The Belarusian president said that the cows were “barely alive” and the officials were “sick” for not noticing that.
“Do you think it’s OK? Are you sick?” Mr Lukashenko told officials.
Mr Lukashenko later instructed his chief of staff to look into the situation at the farm and fire everyone responsible.
Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled the former Soviet nation for 24 years, often invites dignitaries and journalists to his farm where he has been seen digging potatoes and hand-scything.
In August, Mr Lukashenko sacked several ministers and the prime minister following another regional visit, accusing them of a “happy-go-lucky” attitude at work.
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