An archive photo, 1994
MINSK, 26 November (BelTA) – Details of the attempted assassination of Aleksandr Lukashenko in 1994 were shown in the film “Time chose us” aired by the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA reports.
Aleksandr Lukashenko ran against Vyacheslav Kebich in the run-off presidential election in 1994. The authorities realized that the young MP Lukashenko was a strong rival to Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Belarus Kebich.
They tried everything to prevent the inconvenient candidate from taking the top job. It even went as far as an assassination attempt. When Aleksandr Lukashenko was riding in a car from Vitebsk to Liozno, his car was overtaken at high speed and fired upon, with one of the bullets literally flying very close from Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Then the deputy of the Supreme Council of Belarus (1990-1994), statesman Viktor Sheiman enlisted officers of the 38th airborne assault brigade to bodyguard Aleksandr Lukashenko. “I myself once served in this brigade. Officers who had been through Afghanistan were enlisted, i.e. people with combat experience. And several officers of the Minsk riot police [were hired],” recalled Viktor Sheiman.
According to the former deputy of the Supreme Council, they received tips that one of the security agencies of Belarus put together a group to physically eliminate Aleksandr Lukashenko. “We were all unarmed, we had a pepper spray at best. Then I went to the 120th division, talked to the division commander. He knew me well from my work in the Supreme Council of Belarus. I said that there were literally a few days to go before the vote, the situation was very tense. And I asked for three machine guns and three pistols with ammunition. Of course, this request was outside the law. We talked for an hour and a half, and he finally made a decision. I gave these weapons to the guys,” said Viktor Sheiman.
Valery Radutsky, who was a journalist of the presidential pool in 1994 and the chief director of the international radio Belarus, recalled that Aleksandr Lukashenko did not mention the assassination attempt during his meetings with Belarusians.
“Of course, he could have disclosed it, but he is not that kind of person. Was he scared? Come on! Aleksandr Grigorievich is not afraid of such things, thank God. But he is not the kind of person to talk about it. By the way, later, when Aleksandr Grigorievich gave an interview, he said that back then Kebich was approached with a proposal to assassinate [Aleksandr Lukashenko]. The assassination plot envisaged shooting at the car of Kebich and Lukashenko. Kebich would come out fine, but Lukashenko would die. But Kebich is a good guy, he didn't agree to it,” added Valery Radutsky.
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