It just so happens that if the first historical documents mention such a state formation as “Belaya Rus” in the thirteenth century, then according to modern archaeological excavations history of Belarus goes back to more ancient times of the Neolithic, when primitive tribes lived in this territory. An earlier mention of the first capital of this state, Polotsk, can be read in one of the sections of the famous chronicle of Nestor.

At the same time, the Polotsk period of the Belarusian state in the 8th-9th centuries is characterized by quite intensive development agriculture and crafts, which led not only to the formation feudal relations on this territory, but also its acquisition of economic importance among neighboring states. So, it was quite natural for the emergence of such trade centers in this territory as Vitebsk (947) and the city of Turov (980).

In the X-XI centuries, based on this level of economic development, there was a unification of not only nearby cities, but also adjacent territories, which led to the formation of the Polotsk, Turovo-Pinsk and Goroden principalities. And the very nature and geography of Belarus became her fortress. Moreover, during the same period Christianity came to Ancient Rus', which led not only to the religious unification of these state entities, but also to the spread of Slavic culture, in particular concerns the development of the same Cyrillic alphabet and writing.

No less remarkable story these territories in the 13th century, when the united principalities, with the light hand of the Lithuanian prince Mindvog, were included in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which stretched from south to north, from the Baltic to the Black Sea. During the same period, not only the economic, but also the cultural flourishing of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania occurred. So, in particular, it was during this period that one of the pioneer printers of ancient Rus', Francis Skorina, worked in Polotsk.

In 1569, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland united, signing the historic Union of Lublin. As a result of this merger, political map Medieval Europe a new historical player appeared, which in turn not only significantly changed the balance of power on the European continent, but also changed cultural traditions this state entity. After all, the Polish language was adopted as the state language of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and religious traditions began to be based on the principles of Catholicism.

Modern history of Belarus

As a modern state entity, Belarus begins its countdown on July 31, 1920, when the Belarusian Socialist Soviet Republic was proclaimed, which on the same day became part of the USSR. Having gone through difficult trials during the period of industrialization and collectivization of the state and the period of World War II, today the Republic of Belarus is a modern economically developed and independent state that has the most friendly ties with its neighbors, states such as Russia, Ukraine and Poland.

Capital of Belarus

Minsk has been the cultural and economic center of the territory of modern Belarus since the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And in those years, the name of this city sounded like “Меńsk”, which etymologically came from the Old Slavonic word meaning “barter or exchange”, since Minsk of that period was a large economic and shopping center Europe. A modern name capital Belarus received in 1991, when the majority of Belarusian parliamentarians refused to return it to the city historical name"Mensk".

State of Belarus

Modern shape state of Belarus, received as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the signing of a corresponding agreement between the leaders of the three main states of the former USSR, namely Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine. It can also be argued that due to its natural features, such as geography of Belarus, and its nature, Belarusians over the course of 20 centuries still managed to stay afloat and not get lost among the many enslaved countries and peoples...

Politics of Belarus

After declaring its independence in 1991, the Republic of Belarus is a unitary democratic socially oriented state with a presidential-parliamentary form of government, as a presidential republic. All state policies are based on the adopted Constitution of Belarus, which stipulates the supremacy of power on the basis of general popular elections of both the President of the Republic and its legislative body, the bicameral Parliament of the Republic. Moreover, the same Constitution stipulates that policy Belarus, and her executive branch determined on the basis of the activities of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, formed by the Prime Minister and approved by the President of the Republic.

Language of Belarus

Like many European states, Belarus supports language tolerance. Therefore, according to the Belarusian constitution, the state language of Belarus– this is Belarusian, i.e. All government documentation is maintained on it, but people communicate with each other mainly in Russian. In small towns and villages, people communicate in Trasyanka - a mixture of Russian and Belarusian languages. However, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, Belarusian and Russian are considered the official, state languages ​​of the republic.

If we talk about a brief history of Belarus, it will be enough to mention a few key events. Thus, the first state that was observed where Belarus is located today was the Principality of Polotsk, which later turned into the Grand Duchy Lithuanian. It is the Lithuanians who are the real ancestors of the Belarusians of our time, which is why blond hair is so common here - Belarusians have practically nothing in common with the Slavs.
However, in 1569, the Lithuanian state became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, already in 1795, the Russian Empire, during several wars, took away these lands from the weakened Poles. Belarus received a new chance to gain independence in 1917, after the death of the Russian Empire, but the Bolsheviks destroyed it along with other young states that dreamed of independence.
If we talk about modern Belarus briefly, then it is a sovereign state that gained its independence in 1991. The native Belarusian and Russian languages ​​are in use here, and the capital remains one of largest cities- Minsk. The area of ​​the country is relatively small - 207.5 square meters. km, and 10 million people live here. You shouldn’t be surprised to see simple goods with multi-digit prices on the grocery counter - the Belarusian ruble is a very cheap currency.

Belarus is a forested country, so the climate here is quite moderate, severe frosts, as well as dry heat, are rare here. Brest and Minsk are quite ancient cities, and many architectural monuments have been preserved here from the times of Tsarist Russia and the USSR. Brest Fortress, which preserves the memory of the war, is still the object of attention from tourists. However, there is also extremely rich nature here - many people are drawn away from noisy cities to walk through the ancient forests of Polesie, under which the Drevlyan tribes once lived.

The history of Belarus was very difficult, full of bloody wars and changes in power.

Because of geographical location between large states, troops constantly passed through the territory of Belarus, taking away all the supplies from the locals, as well as wars destroying cities. In this article we will tell you about the entire difficult history of Belarus.

First state: Principality of Polotsk

History of statehood on Belarusian lands was founded back in the tenth century. The first entity with centralized administration in this territory was the principality founded by the Krivichi.

The importance of these lands was due to the fact that the famous trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through them. The beginning of the history of this principality was laid by the Izyaslavich family (named after the grandson of Rogvolod, the first Prince of Polotsk, Izyaslav).

In the 11th century, the growth of the principality continued, the territory of which covered a third of present-day Belarus, and by the end of the century already half. This century entered the history of the Principality of Polotsk with campaigns against Novgorod, as well as wars with the Rurikovichs, which took place against the backdrop of the establishment of ever stronger ties with Scandinavia. St. Sophia Cathedral was built in Polotsk, which still stands in its place and is the main attraction of the city.

Below the article you can see where all the historical capitals of Belarus are located on the map.

Formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The next period of history was marked by characteristic European countries feudal fragmentation and constant wars between local princes. As a result, the Polotsk state was divided into seven small principalities, and its power was lost. In the thirteenth century, the Principality of Lithuania was formed with its capital in (over time it was moved to Vilna).

The period of the history of Belarus from 1223 to 1291 in both principalities there was a constant struggle for the throne due to the lack of direct heirs. Only to the Lithuanian prince As a result, Gediminas managed to peacefully unite the Polotsk and Lithuanian principalities and thus put an end to the endless strife. Thanks to him, and later to his son Olgerd, the Belarusian lands were finally gathered into a single Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was during this period that Belarusians began to form as a nationality.

Olgerd, having defeated the Mongol-Tatar Horde, annexed the lands of the former Principality of Kyiv to his lands, thereby turning his state into the largest in Europe.

"Golden Age" of the history of Belarus

In the fifteenth century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania entered the “Golden Age” of its history. The state achieves its power both territorially and economically; culture at this time is also on the rise. In the same century, the Litvins (current) were finally formed into a separate ethnic group.

The next period in the history of Belarus was marked by the unification of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland into a single state and the creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for the purpose of joint defense from Moscow and other threats. The Union of Brest was also signed between them, which solved the problem of religious civil strife.

Period of wars

The seventeenth century is one of the darkest in the history of Belarus. One war gave way to another. As a result of the endless, exhausting struggle with Muscovy, Sweden, Ottoman Empire and the Zaporozhye army, the population of the state was halved. The result of such upheavals was another territorial split, after which the time of magnate anarchy began.

Permanent civil wars, the creation of gentry confederations (the gentry made up 10% of the country's population) further weakened the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. On May 3, 1791, the first constitution of Europe was adopted, but this did not save the state: the 18th century ends with the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kosciuszko uprising. Since the nineteenth century, the Belarusian lands have already been part of the Russian Empire and are called the North-Western Territory.

In anticipation of a possible war with Napoleon, a plan for preparing the western regions was prepared in March 1810 Russian Empire to war and the construction of new defensive fortifications. The Bobruisk fortress was built, which played significant role in the Patriotic War of 1812.

In 1863, there was an uprising of the united gentry and peasantry of Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland against the Empire, which went down in the history of Belarus as the Kalinowski uprising. Also at this time, patriotic circles of students and activists are created and operate.

The difficult path to independence of the Republic of Belarus

In the twentieth century, Belarus suffered even more difficult trials. Two grueling world wars, during which millions of inhabitants died and dozens of cities and villages were destroyed (almost completely destroyed).

But, nevertheless, this is also the era of the collapse of the Russian Empire, which led to the formation of the Belarusian People's Republic, which became an important stage of preparation before the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of a new, independent Belarus.

In 1990, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian SSR was adopted, the following year it was given the status of a constitutional law, and on September 19, 1991, the BSSR was renamed the “Republic of Belarus”, the USSR finally ceased to exist.

After the collapse of the USSR and gaining independence, Belarus was a parliamentary republic: the Belarusian ruble was introduced, the formation of its own armed forces began, and the Belarusian Greek Catholic Church was legalized. In 1994, the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the fundamental law of the country, was adopted, and the first presidential elections took place.

It was so heavy and full of events history of Belarus. Today, you can touch it, seeing medieval and palaces, and also learn more about general history and the destinies of individuals by visiting numerous museums located throughout the country.

History of the Republic of Belarus.

The Republic of Belarus is located in the eastern part of Europe, covering an area of ​​207,600 km2 and home to more than nine million indigenous people.
The article tells about the history of this multinational (130 nationalities) state, on at the moment it is a member of the UN, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) and many other international organizations.

The beginning of the formation of the Belarusian lands

Archaeological excavations indicate that approximately 500 BC, Slavic tribes who came from the south settled on the territory of the modern state; they subsequently became the indigenous population.
In those days, the nomads who moved from central Asia to Europe (Huns and Avars) were unable to force the ancient Slavs Krivichi and Radimichi to leave these territories.
At the end of the 9th century in Europe, after the unification of the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes by the princes of the Rurik dynasty, ancient Russian state, founded by Prince Vladimir.
Historical documents that have survived to this day indicate that the formation of Belarus is associated with Kievan Rus.
This was during the development of the sea route of the Russian state from the Baltic Sea to the Byzantine Empire through eastern Europe, called “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” part of which passed through the territory of the modern Republic of Belarus.
Thanks to this, in 992 the Principality of Polotsk, the first socio-political association on the territory of Belarus, appeared; it then occupied the modern Vitebsk region. The lands of the northern part of the Minsk Territory also belonged to this feudal state.
At the time of its formation, the Principality of Polotsk was part of Kievan Rus.
But under Prince Izyaslav (son Prince of Kyiv Vladimir Svyatoslavovich), freed from its influence and became an independent state entity.
This was the period of the 11th century, during which the development of the state continued. By this time, the principality covered a significant part modern Belarus.
TO beginning of XII century, thanks to the establishment of political ties with the countries of northern Europe and military victories with troops Ancient Rus', the principality already included half of the territory of the future Republic of Belarus.
The first governor, among the Polotsk princes, who received this territory by inheritance, Vseslav, during his reign divided the principality between six sons, who throughout their activities constantly reshaped the territory of the state.
As a result of this, seven small principalities were formed: Minsk - center Minesk ( modern name Minsk), the Vitebsk principality with the main city of Vitebsk, Drutskoye, located on the Drun River (the capital is the city of Drun). Izyaslavskoe with the center of Izyaslavl (now the city of Zaslavl); Logoiskoe, with its center in the city of Logisk, Strezhevskoe with central city Strezhev, which according to one version was located on the shore of Lake Strezhev and the Gorodtsov princely inheritance.
The city of Polotsk became the capital of the Principality of Polotsk, and was given to Vseslav’s eldest son David.
Due to fragmentation, the first feudal state on the territory of Belarus fell into decay, and its power was lost.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The next stage in the history of the Republic is associated with the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (XIII - 1795). This state arose at the beginning of the 13th century as a result of the conquest of large territories of Eastern European principalities,
for various reasons they were separated.
From 1223 and for more than sixty years in those days, there was a constant struggle between the princes for the possession of lands. Only Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the founder of the Gediminovich dynasty, managed through diplomacy to unite the small Polotsk and Lithuanian principalities and from 1392 the Principality of Polotsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Grand Duchy of Lithuania), and after 112 years the principality was transformed into the Polotsk Voivodeship.
During the reign of Prince Olgerd (son of Prince Gediminas), the formation of the indigenous population of the Belarusian lands into a nationality with a common language, culture and identity began.

Formation of the state "Rzeczpospolita" and its division

For the purpose of common defense against various political and military threats from Kievan Rus, in 1569 the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was united with the Kingdom of Poland, and thereby the state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was created.
This huge state occupied certain parts of the territories of modern states: Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Slovakia and Russia.
In the same year, a document was signed that spoke of the merger of the Catholic and Orthodox churches (“Union of Brest”). This union between Catholics and Orthodox Christians solved the problem of religious hostilities.
Throughout XVII century Military conflicts took place on the territory of Belarus in the struggle with Russia, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire for their independence.
As a result of constant wars, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the beginning XVIII century gradually lost its international significance and the monarchies of Austria, Prussia and Russia took advantage of this situation, which led to three divisions of the state, which included the territory of Belarus.
The first section dates back to 1770. Then Prussia and Austria sent in their troops. Two years later, on the basis of an agreement (convention) signed in St. Petersburg, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was forced to give Russia the eastern part of Belarus, Prussia - part of the Polish lands, and Austria annexed the territory of modern western Ukraine (Galicia).
In 1793, a peace treaty was concluded between Prussia (Germany) and Russia, as a result of which the central part of Belarus and the Right Bank part of Ukraine went to Russia, and the cities of Poznan, Torun and Gdansk became part of the Prussian state.
The second partition was the cause of the national liberation struggle, which began in 1794 under the leadership of General Tadeusz Kościuszko. By order of the Russian Empress Catherine II, the troops of Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov stormed Warsaw, as a result of which the uprising was suppressed. Kosciuszko was captured, taken to Russia and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The Kościuszko uprising served as the reason for the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1794), which resulted in the final liquidation of the Polish-Lithuanian state and practically disappeared from the map of Europe.
During this period of history, the entire territory of Belarus finally became part of Russia and officially became known as the “Northwestern Territory”

Military conflicts on the territory of Belarus in the 19th century

At the beginning XIX century Russia was on the brink of war with France. The reason was the refusal of the Russian Empire to support Napoleon I's political and economic blockade against England.
In order to strengthen its western borders, Russia in 1810 began construction of a military fortification in the form of a fort in Bobruisk. The fortress, built in 1812 on the banks of the Berezina River (the left tributary of the Dnieper), occupied an area of ​​1.5 km2, and was considered one of the largest in Europe. Powerful fortifications for that time allowed the Russian army garrison to withstand a 4-month blockade of French troops.
On June 12, 1812, army units of the French army crossed the Neman River and invaded the territory of Belarus.
This period in Russian history is called “ Patriotic War 1812”, it brought enormous disasters to the Belarusian people. Many counties were destroyed, other settlements were burned and looted, and the city of Bobruisk was completely destroyed during the blockade of the Bobruisk fortress.
After the end of the Patriotic War of 1812, 51 years later, there was a revolt of the united forces of the privileged classes of Poland (the gentry), the peasantry of Belarus and Lithuania against the Russian Empire. The leader of the uprising was the first Belarusian revolutionary Vikenty Kalinovsky.
In 1864, the bourgeois-democratic revolution was suppressed by tsarist troops under the command of Governor-General Muravyov, Kalinovsky was arrested and, after trial, executed central square capital of Lithuania, Vilna (now Vilnius).
The beginning of the First World War (1914) was accompanied by the occupation of Belarus by German troops, which lasted until 1918.

Belarus after 1917

During this period, a revolution took place in Russia (1917), and the Belarusian People's Republic was proclaimed in Belarus. The BPR existed until the withdrawal of German troops from the entire territory of Belarus in March 1918.
According to the Riga Agreement, signed in 1921, the western part of Belarus was annexed to Poland, and eastern territories The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was formed, which a year later became part of the USSR.

Formation of the BSSR and the Second World War

Based on the official request of the People's Assembly of western Belarus for reunification with the eastern part and its inclusion in the USSR, in 1939, Red Army troops entered the territory of western Belarus, and thus the unification of Belarusian lands took place.
In the same year, on September 1, the Second World War, and after 22 months the Great Patriotic War, and German troops entered the territory of all of Belarus and established an occupation regime that lasted more than three years. During this time, many settlements and cities were ravaged and burned. And the capital of the BSSR, the city of Minsk, was practically destroyed. In 1945, during military operation"Bagration" Belarus was liberated, and the restoration of the national economy began.
It is noteworthy that since Minsk was almost completely destroyed (only 20% of the surviving buildings remained), it was proposed to build the capital in a new location. Belarusians unanimously decided to build a new city on the old historical site.

51 years after the unification of the eastern and western parts of Belarus into a single state of the BSSR, a legal act (declaration) was adopted, which spoke of the state sovereignty of the Belarusian SSR.
On September 19, 1991, based on a referendum, the BSSR was renamed the “Republic of Belarus” and joined the international organization “Commonwealth of Independent States” (CIS).

Belarus today

Now Belarus is modern state, where mechanical engineering, woodworking, food, chemical, energy, light and other industries are developed, the products of which are exported to many European countries.
Much attention The country's leadership pays attention to the educational system.
There are more than eight thousand educational institutions operating on the territory of Belarus. Of these 54 higher institutions, 240 technical schools and colleges. As a result, the state takes into account the most high level adult literacy worldwide (97.7%).
IN recent years tourism is one of the main components in the economy of Belarus.
Tourists from many European countries are attracted unique nature this region (Belovezhskaya Pushcha), large number historical monuments culture (Novogrudok Mir, Nesvizh castles) and other monuments related to the history of this state.

1. Belarus is the birthplace of two Israeli presidents: Chaim Weizmann and Shimon Peres.
2. National Park"Belovezhskaya Pushcha" is the oldest park in Europe.
3. The world's largest dump truck "Bel AZ 75710" is produced at the Belarusian Automobile Plant, has a load capacity of 360 tons, the body of which can accommodate 6 cars of coal.
4. Belarus is the only country in Europe where there is no change to “winter time”.
5. All tourists and guests of the republic are amazed by the clean, green settlements and their high safety.
6. Belgium, Holland, Hungary and Switzerland can simultaneously reside on the territory of Belarus.
7. A monument was erected in Polotsk, symbolizing the geographical center of Europe, since the city is the supposed center of the European continent.
8. For 17 years of the 20th century, Russian, Belarusian, Hebrew and Polish were considered the official languages. After the adoption of the Constitution (1994), the first two were approved.
9. The longest street in the country is Independence Avenue (15 km). It is considered the longest in Europe and since 2006 has been applying for inclusion in the UNESCO list as a world cultural heritage.
10. Belarusians are hardworking, hospitable and friendly people. These character traits are emphasized by tourists and guests of the Republic of Belarus.

BELARUS. STORY
In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. Representatives of the Milograd culture (an ancient Slavic group) moved from the south to the territory of present-day Belarus. In the 1st century BC representatives of another Slavic group- Zarubintsy culture. Slavic tribes The Dregovichi, Radimichi and Krivichi were eventually assimilated by the Baltic people who lived before them on this land. By the 9th century the lands of Polotsk, Turovo-Pinsk, Smolensk and other principalities became part of the Old Russian state.
Lithuanian period. After the Mongol-Tatar invasion of 1237-1240, the Belarusian lands were captured by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, concluding alliances with local feudal landowners against common enemies - the Mongol-Tatars in the east and the Teutonic knights in the west. From the 14th century in the Teutonic chronicles the term “White Rus'” appears, and local tribes gradually unite into a single nation. In 1386, the Grand Duke of Lithuania became the Polish king and, thus, the ruler of a huge state that included the Baltic and Slavic peoples. The Belarusian language was the official and diplomatic language of Lithuania until 1569, when Lithuania united with Poland into a single state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Polish period. The union of Poland and Lithuania entailed increased Polish influence in the Belarusian lands. Both church and secular public institutions have changed. Orthodox Church, representing main religion in Belarus, the Union of Brest in 1596 was transformed into a Uniate, retained the Byzantine ritual church service, but accepted Roman Catholic dogmas and the authority of the pope. Polish influence also manifested itself in the socio-economic sphere, as communal land ownership of Belarusians was replaced by individual land ownership, and peasants were enslaved. The noble elite quickly adopted the Polish language, Polish culture and the Roman Catholic faith. The peasants and urban common people preserved the Belarusian language and culture and loyalty to the Uniate Church. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth reached the peak of its power at the beginning of the 17th century, when its lands stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and Muscovite Rus' accepted the Polish prince Vladislav to the royal throne. The next century and a half passed in this region under the sign of wars between Russia, Poland and Sweden. The Russian-Polish war for Ukrainian lands (1654-1667) and Northern War(1700-1721) between Russia and Sweden for access to Baltic Sea. As a result of violence, hunger and disease in these wars, about half of the population of Belarus died.
Russian period. The partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795 by Russia, Prussia and Austria led to the inclusion of Belarusian lands into the Russian Empire. The Uniate Church was liquidated in 1839. In 1840, the Russian judicial code was introduced, and the use of the term Belorussia (Belarus) was prohibited. Belarus became part of the “Northwestern Region” of the empire. The Belarusian nobility and some of the peasantry, under the leadership of Kastus Kalinowski, took part in the Polish-Lithuanian uprising of 1863. On the wave of liberalization public life Russia in the 1860s-1870s, publications began to appear on Belarusian language. On March 24, 1918, the All-Belarusian Congress proclaimed the Belarusian People's Republic. After the German troops that occupied Belarus during the First World War left the country in December 1918, the united Lithuanian-Belarusian Soviet Republic was created. Following the Polish offensive in 1919 and the short war between Poland and Soviet Russia in 1920 Belarus was again divided. About 100 thousand sq. km of its territory went to Poland. In the remaining territory (107 thousand sq. km), where approx. 5 million Belarusians, the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) was proclaimed, which in 1922 became part of the USSR.
Soviet period. At the end of the 1920s, Stalin began to pursue a course of Sovietization of Belarus. Industrialization and collectivization in the 1930s uprooted hundreds of thousands of Belarusians from the land, moving to the rapidly growing cities of Belarus and the eastern USSR. In 1950, their number in the cities of Belarus exceeded the proportion of others ethnic groups(Russians, Poles and Jews). As a result of the Nazi German invasion and occupation during World War II, Belarus suffered enormous damage. When the republic was liberated in 1944 Soviet army and partisans, all its cities lay in ruins, all industrial enterprises were destroyed, and 2225 thousand people (every fourth resident of the republic) died. After the war, Belarus began to rebuild and by the 1970s had become a developed economic region of the USSR. With urbanization and industrial growth, the process of assimilation of Belarusians intensified. The state policy of enlightenment and education contributed to this process, because The circulation of Russian-language publications increased, and in the vast majority of schools, Russian became the main language of instruction. In the 1990 elections, the Communist Party managed to gain a majority of seats in the Supreme Council. However, the participation of other forces split the parliament into three blocs: the Communist Party nomenklatura; anti-communist BPF; moderate intellectuals and ordinary members of the Communist Party. The first of these blocs supported the putsch in Moscow in August 1991, and after its failure, the leader of the bloc, Nikolai Dementey, was forced to resign as chairman of the presidium of the Supreme Council of the republic. His place was taken by the leader of the moderates Stanislav Shushkevich.
Independent Belarus. On August 25, 1991, the Supreme Council proclaimed the independence of the BSSR; Within a few weeks, the name of the country was changed to the Republic of Belarus. In December 1991, Shushkevich, Russian President B.N. Yeltsin and Ukrainian President L.M. Kravchuk met in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and annulled the Federative Treaty of 1922, in accordance with which the Soviet Union, and united their countries into a loose association called the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). After a long struggle with the left, Shushkevich was forced in January 1993 to resign as chairman of the Supreme Council. He was replaced by Mieczysław Grib, who sought integration with Russia. In March 1994, a new constitution was adopted, and in July the first presidential elections were held. A.G. Lukashenko, former director state farm and deputy of the Supreme Council, who created a reputation for himself as a fighter against corruption, received more than 80% of the votes in these elections. In November 1996, Lukashenko held a referendum on amendments to the 1994 constitution, which expanded his powers and extended his term as president. On November 19, 1998, parliament approved the draft Civil Code with amendments made by the president. These changes are aimed at establishing strict government control over the implementation of economic and social reforms during the transition period. On July 20, 1999, Lukashenko’s term as president, defined by the 1994 constitution, ended, but, according to the results of the 1996 referendum, Lukashenko remained in office and plans to hold it until 2001. Western countries, unlike Ukraine and the Russian Federation, dispute the legitimacy of President Lukashenko, although He is popular among the population of the republic. All three Slavic states condemned the NATO invasion of Yugoslavia, and after the end of the operation, Belarus took an active part in the Zapad 1999 maneuvers conducted by the Russian armed forces. The Interregional Association of Economic Cooperation "Central Russia" has established direct economic ties with the Vitebsk, Gomel, Minsk and Mogilev regions of Belarus. In December 1999, an agreement was concluded between Belarus and Russia on the creation of the Union State.

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

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