Russia TV channel: Lukashenka blackmailed Yeltsin with nuclear weapons

Boris Yeltsin was ready to support the Supreme Council of Belarus in its confrontation with Lukashenka in 1996.

This statement was made in Nikolay Svanidze's documentary Historical Chronicles dedicated to the first Russian president.

“Lukashenka announced a referendum to change the country's Constitution and introduce the presidential republic in August 1996. It was the turning point on Lukashenka's way to absolute power. The opposition proposes to have negotiations. Lukashenka asserts pressure. General Alexander Lebed, the head of the Security Council of Russia, arrives in Belarus from Moscow due to aggravation of the situation. He says to Lukashenka: 'Moscow will not allow using violence to resolve the conflict between the Belarusian parliament and the president.' Lukashenka answers: 'We plan to remove nuclear weapons from Belarus by the end of 1996. If Moscow does not support me, Topol missiles may remain in Belarus.'

Moscow opts to support Lukashenka at the last minute. It was the price gor removing missiles from the country. In 2010, Lukashenka says removing nuclear weapons from  Belarus was his greatest mistake,” the film says.

A new episode Historical Chronicles series was aired on Russia TV channel last week. Belarusians were able to watch the documentary: censors missed the scandalous disclosure of how Lukashenka managed to avoid impeachment in 1996.

It should be reminded that official propagandists recently threaten Belarus might withdraw from the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, the step that would allow the country to return nuclear weapons.

According to politologist Yury Shautsou, it may be Minsk's response to sanctions against certain Belarusians officials and oligarchs imposed due to human rights violations, electoral fraud and crackdown on the opposition.