Phase Shift

• Alexander Klaskovsky
• 6.02.2026, 11:16

And then why did they build the nuclear power plant?

In the evening of February 4, it was hell for Belarusians inside the country. The lights in the cities were not turned on at the usual time. But the blackout came not because the enemies bombed the energy infrastructure, as it happens in Ukraine. Peaceful Belarus plunged into darkness because of the "bright" idea of its ruler.

At a meeting on February 3, Alexander Lukashenko resented the fact that, in his opinion, electricity is wasted on excessive lighting in the mornings and evenings.

"I'll go out in Ostroshitski Gorodok (a village in Minsk district, near which one of Lukashenko's residences is located. - Note), for example, and in other villages. Yesterday at six o'clock in the evening, the whole Minsk region is lit up. Lights are burning. And this is typical for everyone," the ruler described his observations from the window of the armored Mercedes.

And switched to his trademark menacing tone: "Blame yourselves. You will pay the minimum out of your own pocket. All the street lights are on, everything is shining. The Minsk region and further afield - everything is lit up. At six o'clock in the evening. Why? Already at half past eight you can turn off the street lights in the morning, especially now, when there is a lot of light. No - all the lights are on".

The words of Lukashenko implied that he was already concerned about this wastefulness the day before, and he was informed that the photocells were not working correctly. I assume that the frightened officials simply blamed it on the wordless technique.

This explanation, however, only made the ruler angry: "Nonsense. Adjust those photocells so that the electricity automatically with your artificial intelligence turns off at seven o'clock in the morning. And the lights come on not at six o'clock in the evening, but at eight o'clock. Do the math - four or five [extra] hours the whole country will be lit up, the whole country will be glowing. How much money we waste!"

The leader has a special beef with AI: he kicks this enemy invention every chance he gets.

Return to the cave age

And last night, Belarusians-city dwellers (in small villages are accustomed that at this time of the day at least poke your eyes out) could fully enjoy the starry sky, which usually can't be seen because of the light of street lamps.

In Minsk, for example, the sun went down at 17:56. And to light up the lights at 18 o'clock, which so angered Lukashenko, is just the right time.

But the officials, of course, did not want to blame themselves and pay from their own pockets. On February 4, the Ministry of Energy discussed "adjusting the modes of operation of street lighting in settlements."

In general, they trusted not the AI, but the instinct of self-preservation. So the lighting was not turned on at the usual time (it was turned on only at 7 p.m.).

And it is in this period of the day when many people return from work, children - from school. The streets are full of traffic. The traffic police always reminded that dusk is the most dangerous time. And how can a driver in pitch darkness see a pedestrian on an unregulated zebra? And if on the sidewalk, God forbid, open sewer manhole? And if you have to go down the slippery steps of the street stairs? And on any icy pothole, you can get knocked over.

Social networks exploded with outrage. But I won't be surprised if law enforcement agencies start to find out the authors of angry comments and take them in with breaking down doors - as dangerous extremists.

And why did they build the NPP then?

In the meantime, Belarusians in social networks emphasize that the NPP was built in the country with pomp. Lukashenko even wanted to build a second one, but in the end, it seems, he was satisfied with the plan to build a third unit at the Astravets plant.

The authorities once expected to sell electricity from this plant to neighboring countries at a profit. The same Lithuanians who once closed the Ignalina nuclear power plant.

But the Lukashenko regime has had a bitter falling out with Lithuania and other EU countries. With Vilnius it is on a knife-edge. There is nothing to say about Ukraine. Russia had enough electricity of its own.

So Lukashenko repeatedly encouraged officials: move your brains, think up what you can use the surplus electricity for. Develop electric transportation, build houses with electric heating, etc.

At a meeting on the results of the work of BelNPP last November, the ruler proudly noted that one of the results of its construction was "giving impetus to the growth of energy consumption. In 2024, its historical maximum of 43.3 billion kWh will be reached. Over the past five years, the increase amounted to about 6 billion kWh."

That is, the growth of energy consumption was presented as an achievement. And in general, with the launch of the BelNPP "the country entered a new era", the leader pathetically broadcast at that time.

Now, as we see, he is returning the country to the darkness of the cave age.

Viewing the country from the limousine window

What happened? Different versions are proliferating in the media. "Nasha Niva", for example, suggests that there was an emergency shutdown at some of the generation facilities, which was not publicly reported. Or energy is being transported to neighboring regions of Russia, where blackouts happen because of Ukraine's retaliatory strikes on the energy infrastructure. Or maybe Lukashenko decided to placate Kiev and secretly sneaks kilowatt-hours to the Ukrainians?

In principle, none of these versions can be excluded. However, it is more likely that the reasons are more trivial.

First, the ruler sees that the Russian economy, skewed by the war and burdened by sanctions, is running out of steam. The market there is shrinking. So Moscow will no longer be able to support its vassal in the same volumes. That means it is time to save on matches. Though in our case this phraseology doesn't work either: in the darkness one has to strike matches more often.

Secondly, there are no people left in Lukashenko's entourage who could object to the autocrat. It is safer to blame everything on photocells and take under the visor.

Thirdly, Lukashenko, who once boasted of his connection with the people, has become disconnected from the realities of life of ordinary citizens during more than three decades of his reign. In his numerous residences, one must assume, they do not save on illumination. And he sees the rest of Belarus mainly from behind the tinted windows of his limousine.

And these limousine observations time after time become the impetus for voluntaristic decisions. Remember how in 2019 the ruler railed against billboards in Belarusian: "I'm driving along the road - the highway, as they call it, is presidential. The billboards "Vykonvay hutkasny rezhym" are displayed. It is clear, it is clear to me as a Belarusian what the author wanted to say. But a Russian person is traveling..."

Yes, in Belarus, writing in Belarusian is a terrible sin in front of "older brothers". Billboards are fucked.

The ruler plunges Belarus into darkness in every sense

Fourthly, fourthly - and this is the main conclusion - absolute power corrupts absolutely. What I want, I do.

Let's remember how Lukashenko rearranged school programs and textbooks, resenting what his son Kolya was being asked to do.

"Recently, I saw how eighth-graders study biology: listen, half of the course is about worms! Structure, life activity and what a worm has to do to be a parasite. Well, answer me this question. Okay, for the advanced students, let it be. Yes, you need to know about this creature, but why study it meticulously?" -

Two years earlier, he made school start an hour later - at nine in the morning - by simply admitting that his son sometimes napped during the first lesson.

This phase shift created a lot of problems for parents who have a working day from eight: how to manage to take the child to school and not be late?

But the ruler does not understand these problems, he lives in another galaxy, where he decides when to sit in his office and when to play hockey.

And remember how last October he was reported about the queues at gas stations, and he decided that the root of the evil - the fans who like to drink coffee there? "Instruct [Interior Minister Ivan] Ivan Kubrakov to put an ironclad order there by Monday," Lukashenko ordered. The police were immediately mobilized for a brutal fight with coffee drinkers, while gas station operators were told "not to say unnecessary phrases" in order not to slow down the process.

A very recent example: at the height of frost Lukashenko ordered to reduce the temperature of heating in apartments. He himself, they say, is not afraid of cold. So let others harden themselves.

The following motivation was also very appealing: it is necessary to reduce the temperature of the heating medium in order to prevent pipes from bursting. So, maybe it's better to replace them in time?

The attack on street lights is the case when the whole country felt the absurdity and harm of the voluntaristic order on its own skin. But Lukashenko also rules complex spheres with a smart look, instructing academicians, ministers, bankers - everyone in a row. And he gives orders, the damage from which is not immediately obvious, but can amount to billions.

The whole country is held hostage by a man with a poor education, a predilection for primitive solutions and stale views. He is plunging Belarus into darkness in every sense.

Alexander Klaskovsky, "Pozirk"