Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko told journalists in Minsk on Thursday that the Soviet Union's collapse could be blamed on a lack of essential products during a press conference for Russia's regional media outlets.
"The reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union? Don't tell fairy tales — there wasn't enough washing powder," Lukashenko said.
"I felt sorry for the women standing in line, and more than once I stood in line to buy 10-20 packets of imported washing powder," he said.
"We must solve everyday issues, finally correct the mistakes of the Soviet Union, and provide the population with everything it needs," he added.
Read about President Lukashenko's present for Steven Seagal.
The Belarussian president has acquired a reputation for giving extremely long press conferences. One such conference held on Jan. 29, 2015, lasted more than seven hours.
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