When trying to understand Belarusian politics, the main question to ask is "how does Lukasjenko stay alive and free".
He needs to stay in power, and he's only staying in power at the mercy of Putin. And he needs his subjects to have a perception of crisis in order for them to accept his bullshit.
If he allows things to get better he'll be removed from power, at which point he'll either be imprisoned or killed.