At a time when Belarus has become a launchpad for Russian soldiers invading Ukraine and marching on Kyiv, the country held a referendum on Sunday to ratify a new constitution that would abandon its non-nuclear status. The vote, which is almost guaranteed to pass under President Alexander Lukashenko’s tight supervision, might result in nuclear weapons being deployed on Belarusian soil for the first time since the Soviet Union fell apart.
It raises the stakes at a time when Lukashenko has sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin in his military assault on Ukraine, after previously serving as a go-between between the two neighbours.
Belarus will ask Russia to send Nuclear Weapons to defend
Lukashenko warned at a voting location on Sunday that he could ask Russia to surrender Belarus’ nuclear weapons. “If you (the West) send nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania, to our borders,” Lukashenko stated, “I will turn to Putin and demand that he restore the nuclear weapons that I gave away without conditions.”
After widespread protests against his 28-year dictatorship erupted in August 2020, Lukashenko resorted to Russia for help, surviving Western sanctions with the help of Russian loans.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, his 2020 opponent, called on Belarusians to use the referendum vote to oppose the war with Ukraine.
“I didn’t know where to begin this request for a long time. How can you expect heroic deeds from individuals who have been living in dread for over a year and a half? In a special address, she stated, “The battle we’ve been pulled into began two days ago.”
“However, the Belarusians have not said officially that they are opposed to it, nor have they demonstrated this to the Ukrainians via their conduct.” So, do I have the authority to demand action from you? Perhaps not. But if I don’t try, I won’t be able to forgive myself.”
Hundreds of people gathered at polling locations in Minsk and other Belarusian cities, according to videos and photographs uploaded on social media. The audience was seen chanting “No to War” in several footage.
“With all of this terror and suffering, there is nothing we can do right now.” But I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I didn’t try. Elena, 45, who arrived at one of the polling locations with a group of a dozen individuals, stated, “We are already deemed collaborators.” For security considerations, she declined to offer any other information about herself. The referendum is taking place against the backdrop of a broad crackdown on internal opponents of the government, and the West has already stated that it will not recognise the results.
According to human rights groups, Belarus has over a thousand political prisoners as of Sunday. Amateur bands played at polling sites on Sunday, and buffets provided food and inexpensive wine. The All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, founded by Lukashenko and inhabited by party loyalists, local councils, officials, and activists from pro-government organisations, would be given powers under the new constitution.