Stanislav Shushkevich Death Cause: The first head of state of independent Belarus, Stanislav died at the age of 87. His wife told the same to AFP. He was one of the leaders who signed a decree to dissolve the Soviet Union in 1991. (check: why was Dave Chappelle attacked ?)
Per his wife Irina, Stanislav Shushkevich died of coronavirus complications. Stanislav was a critic of Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko. Along with Russian leader Boris Yeltsin and Ukrainian leader Leonid Kravchuk, he signed the 1991 declaration dissolving the USSR.
When Belarus became an independent nation, Stanislav became the head of the state. He served the nation until 1994 when Lukashenko defeated him in the election. As a result, he became one of the important leaders of the opposition. Irina told us that the family was hoping for a state funeral, but none contacted them at the writing this.
The decree that led to dissolving of Soviet Union is known as the Belavezha Accords. It was on December 8, 1991 at a luxury dacha in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha forest in Belarus. After dissolving the USSR, the Commonwealth of Independence States (CIS) was formed.
It is said that the three leaders fired off guns and downed glasses of vodka before they signed the historic document. (check: Kailia Posey ‘Grinning Girl’ Meme.)
Stanislav Shushkevich was born in Minsk. He became the head of Belarus after the previous chairman was thrown out on account of his strong relation to a Communist hard-line rebellion attempt in August 1991 against Mikhail Gorbachev.
With the independence of Belarus, Stanislav Shushkevich became the head of the state without formally holding the title of President. He remained at the same position until 1994 as he lost to Lukashenko in a graft probe. The opponent led the Belarus anti-corruption committee.
After ruling the state for three years, Stanislav Shushkevich lost in 1994 Presidential elections. Other candidates knocked him out in the first round only. The head of then-anti-corruption committee witnessed a landslide victory. Since then, Lukashenko has been the president.
Post 1994, Shushkevich became a strong opposition for Lukashenko, and strongly supported the nation’s liberal opposition. In 2012, Shushkevich was allegedly accused by Lukashenko in relation to leading a fifth column in Belarus. As a result, the former leader was ordered not to leave the country.
Later in 2013, Shushkevich wrote his memoir and mentioned that he tried to access the original signed declaration from Belavezha, but it couldn’t be found. It appeared to have been disappeared completely.
In the recent years, Stanislav Shushkevich didn’t appear to have given any major inputs in the politics. Also, he didn’t play any major role in the government protests against Lukashenko who once again won the 2020 Presidential election.
During the protests, tens of thousands people went on to the streets to protest. After Lukashenko’s victory, thousands were arrested and it resulted into a severe crackdown of the demonstrations. It forced many opposition leaders to flee the nation at that time.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, one of the Belarusian opposition leaders who fled the country, referred the death of Shushkevich as a big loss for the democracy and Belarus. She posted a tweet on Twitter mentioning the same. As of now, she lives in exile.
Stanislav Shushkevich Cause of Death: How did he die?
Per the Belarusian leading dailies, Shushkevich was reported to be admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU). The complications arising due to coronavirus led him to the hospital bed. He couldn’t recover and lost the battle of life.
Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, didn’t made any immediate official statement on Wednesday to Stanislav Shushkevich’s death.
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