Belarus approves referendum that revokes its non-nuclear status and could receive Russian atomic weapons on its territory

Belarus approved this Sunday a new constitution through a referendum that, among some measures, the country will officially abandon its non-nuclear status, which could give way to the reception of Russian atomic weapons on its territory, which has been key in the process. invasion of Ukraine.

According to various agencies that cited the central electoral commission of Belarus, 65.2% of the participants in the elections voted in favor of the new constitution backed by its president, Alexander Lukashenko.

The new constitution would contemplate the transfer of nuclear weapons in Belarusian territory, something that has not happened since the country abandoned these weapons before the fall of the Soviet Union.

This controversial election comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has had unrestricted support from the Lukashenko regime.

The possibility of receiving nuclear weapons from Russia was recalled by Lukashenko this Sunday, stating that he could ask Russia to return nuclear weapons to its territory.

“If you (the West) transfer nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania, then I will turn to Putin to return the nuclear weapons I gave up without any conditions,” warned the leader of the former Soviet republic.

In 2020, Lukashenko was supported by Russia after protests against him through loans that helped ease the effects of the sanctions they faced.

Meanwhile, the West has emphasized that it will not recognize the results of the referendum, which has been marked by a crackdown on opponents and has led to at least 290 arrests, according to rights activists.

The repressive attitudes of the Lukashenko regime reached a peak in 2020 when brutal repression against his opponents who claimed alleged manipulations in the results of the presidential elections that the Belarusian president won by a wide margin was reported.

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is in exile, called on Belarusians to use the referendum vote as a protest against the invasion of Ukraine.

As a consequence of the approval of the referendum, the new constitution would grant powers to the People’s Assembly of Belarus, which Lukashenko created and is made up of officials loyal to his party.

It would also grant the president lifetime immunity from prosecution if he leaves office, which he has held for 28 years.