He started his career at the Academy of Sciences and at the Minsk radio plant. In 1961-1967 he was an engineer and head of the laboratory of nuclear physics at Belarusian State University. From 1969 to 1971 he served as vice-rector of the Minsk Radio Engineering Institute.

In 1971-1990 he worked as a professor and head of the Department of Nuclear Physics and Vice-Rector at BSU. In 1990-1991 he was First deputy chairman of the Supreme Council and a member of the Constitutional Committee.

From 1991 to 1994, he served as Chairman of the Supreme Council. One of the signatories of the Bialowieza agreement that put an end to the Soviet Union. Later headed the Centre for Political and Economic Studies of the European Humanities University.