Russian politologists: “Lukashenka understands only noose around his neck”

The Russian authorities stopped fearing Lukashenka’s rhetoric about Slavonic brotherhood and started suffocating him.

Two Russian TV channels showed hard-hitting films about Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Experts say this is a sign of irreversible changes in Moscow-Minsk relations, BBCrussian.com reports.

As BBCrussian.com learnt from Valery Khomyakov, the director general of the Russian National Strategy Council, “The Russian authorities have finally opened its eyes.” In his opinion, they have realized that they shouldn’t believe Lukashenka’s statements on the union state and single currency.

“Lukashenka’s behavior is not gentlemanly: he promises to marry a girl, but then breaks up with her at the last moment,” Khomyakov says.

Igor Bunin, the president of the Center for Political Technologies, told in an interview to BBCrussian.com he thinks the films appeared because Lukashenka irritates the Russian leadership and they are in conflict now.

He notes that Belarus is hard to deal with because of the inconsistency of the country’s leader.

Independent politologist Dmitry Oreshkin told BBCrussian.com the films about Lukashenka aired by Russian TV is an important turning point in the relations between Russia and Belarus and Russia and the world.

In his view, Lukashenka has lost his initiative in Belarus-Russia relations. Until now, “Lukashenka, this cynic and genius politician, has been using Russia by depressing the ideological pedal – talks about the union state.”

The politologist says the Belarusian president is an “example of a Soviet-style, Stalin-like leader”. According to Oreshkin, the main value for the Belarusian president is power.

Valery Khomyakov suggests Lukashenka doesn’t have any allies in the West. The expert notes that the greatest question and mystery is who can rule Belarus instead of Lukashenka. As Khomyakov thinks, the Kremlin is looking for a person to substitute the Belarusian president.

According to Oreshkin, the today’s policy of Russia is like a sharp knife for Lukashenka, as the Belarusian economy has been backed by cheap Russian oil in great degree.

The politologist states Russia cannot lose anything by choosing a new approach towards Lukashenka. The talks that Belarus defends Russia from NATO’s aggression are not serious.

At the same time he notes that the process of building pragmatic relations with Belarus has reached the point of no return.

“The Russian authorities no longer fear Lukashenka’s rhetoric about the Slavonic brotherhood and have started suffocating him. Lukashenka understands only a noose around his neck. The Kremlin has understood what instrument should be applied. So, they began to show film in order the people to understand this,” the politologist says.