Stanislav Shushkevich

Stanisław Stanislavavič Šuškievič (; ; December 15, 1934 – May 3, 2022) was a Belarusian politician. He was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus from 1991 until 1994. He later became an opposition leader against Alexander Lukashenko.

Engineering career
In the early 1960s, while working as an engineer in an electronics factory, he was in charge of teaching the Russian language to John F. Kennedy's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, when Oswald lived in Minsk.

He was a corresponding member of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences, Doctor in Physics and Mathematics. He was the recipient of many state awards. He was also a professor and the author of textbooks and over 150 articles and 50 inventions.

Political career
When Supreme Soviet chairman Nikolai Dementey was ousted for his support of the August 1991 coup attempt, Shushkevich became interim speaker, and led Belarus voting to leave from the Soviet Union.

From August 25, 1991 to January 26, 1994, he was the first head of state of independent Belarus after it seceded from the Soviet Union, he was Chairman of the Supreme Soviet.

Death
Shushkevich died in Minsk, Belarus on 3 May 2022, at the age of 87 from problems caused by COVID-19.Ex-Belarus leader Stanislav Shushkevich, who helped dissolve USSR, dies at 87

References

Category:1934 births
Category:2022 deaths
Category:Presidents of Belarus
Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus
Category:Engineers
Category:Inventors
Category:Academics