Boris Nemtsov: Lukashenka is afraid that he will be overthrown and counts on Russian military bases

The deployment of a Russian military base is another attempt of the Belarusian ruler to get money from Moscow.

One of the leaders of Russian opposition Boris Nemtsov stated that in an interview to RFI.

“The dictator is afraid that he will be overthrown, the dictator need money. He considers the deployment of Russian military bases also to be an opportunity to preserve his power and get additional financial support from Russia. Everything is being violated here with no exception, including the neutral status. In Belarus and Russia alike everything is being violated”, - the Russian politician said.

At the same time Boris Nemtsov believes that the Belarusian ruler will not be allowed to command the military base.

“I do not think that the Russian military base will be in Lukashenka’s hands. He will simply be not allowed to these systems. Putin needs these bases, he has the mighty empire complex etc. He needs them to bargain with the Americans. And Lukashenka needs them to increase the rent for the bases and bargain for oil and gas. Putin hates Lukashenka so much that Lukashenka will not command any bases or aviation regiments. You should not even be worried. And that the Russian budget and Russian people will have to pay billions for Putin’s ambitions is, unfortunately, true”.

In Nemtsov’s opinion, there will be no real threat to the West from the deployment of Russian military units in Belarus.

“The things is that corruption in Russian army reaches such an extent that it is very hard for them to create anything deterrent there. They are bluffing, they are shaking their weapons, and absolutely not in the direction from which Belarus and Russia may have a threat coming. This must be understood. Russian authorities are absolutely inadequate. They, for example, demilitarized the Russian_chinese border. Had Soviet military officials been on their place, they would have asked if there were crazy. We have no aviation regiment there. And he we do. Apparently, they are waiting that the aggressive Polish will now reach Moscow. And will burn it like in 1612. They are just mad people. And your president will now be twisting Putin’s arms, and Putin will be paying for all that at the full scale, and the price will be higher than for the Black Sea fleet”.