Ex-silovik from Belarus announced Lukashenko's involvement in the murder of a Ukrainian journalist - ForumDaily
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Ex-security official from Belarus claims Lukashenka's involvement in the murder of a Ukrainian journalist

On January 4, EUObserver published audio recordings, from which it follows that the Belarusian special services could have discussed the possibility of the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet back in 2012, writes Air force.

Photo: Shutterstock

Sheremet, a native of Belarus who worked in Ukraine for a long time, died in the summer of 2016 - the car he was driving, exploded in the center of Kiev.

The audio recordings provided by EUObserver, the authenticity of which, however, is not confirmed, allegedly featured the former head of the Belarusian KGB Vadim Zaitsev.

It is noted that the recording was allegedly made on April 11, 2012 during a briefing for members of the Alpha special forces unit.

“We need to work on Sheremet... We’ll make some kind of bookmark and so on so that this rat... doesn’t have any arms or legs. Everything should be as natural as possible, but it doesn’t have the same effect on people’s consciousness,” says the voice on the recording.

The unknown interlocutor replies that “there will be no problems with the bookmark.” After this, the participants in the conversation also discuss the poison from the “interesting professor” from Vitebsk.

The recording also says that “the president is waiting for these operations,” and funds have already been allocated for them.

In addition to Sheremet, the participants in the conversation also discuss the political murders of Oleg Alkaev (ex-head of the Minsk pre-trial detention center), Vladimir Borodach (retired special forces colonel) and Vyacheslav Dudkin (ex-employee of the “anti-corruption” department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus) - all of them now live in Europe , and also at different periods of time made either statements about the oppression of the opposition in Belarus, or criticism of the current government and support for the opposition.

EUObserver notes that the audio quality is too low to confirm the authenticity of the recording, but the interlocutors confirmed that the voice on the recording is indeed very similar to that of Zaitsev.

Who submitted the records

The audio recording was given to the online publication by Belarusian opposition activist and former employee of the Almaz anti-terrorism special forces Igor Makar, who emphasizes that he is ready to confirm all the information in court. DW talked with Igor Makar about the sensational audio recording and the possible planning of political assassinations by the top officials of Belarus.

DW: How did you get this tape and why was it published just now?

Igor Makar: This record came to me in 2012 from my anonymous sources from the State Security Committee of Belarus. When I heard the name of my close friend, Oleg Alkaev, on the recording, I tried to save his life and turned to the American special services for help, which prevented it.

As I understand it, the American services immediately reported this at the place of residence of Oleg Alkaev, Vyacheslav Dudkin and Vladimir Borodach. Alkaev himself personally told me that the criminal police contacted him about the fact that his life was in danger, that he needed to be given personal protection and that he should not travel outside Germany. Also, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced the impending crime and, as far as I know, because of this, Alexander Lukashenko removed the then KGB chairman Vadim Zaitsev.

Then I did not publish this entry, because at that time it was not possible, I could not fight the regime alone. Now, when the whole of Belarus has rebelled against the regime, when I see the solidarity of the people, I understand that Belarus needs my support and help, and I decided to take this step. I am ready to sacrifice my life for Belarus to become free and for the Belarusian people to be free and live in an independent sovereign country.

— EUobserver notes that there are no obvious signs of editing in the audio recording, but experts have not yet been able to definitively confirm its authenticity. What evidence do you have to say that this recording is genuine?

“There is reason to trust that this recording is genuine, because my source from the KGB communicated directly with one of those present on the recording.

— Do you know the alleged names of two other men who are allegedly talking with the former head of the KGB, Vadim Zaitsev?

“Unfortunately, having only a recording, we can say that these are employees of the anti-terrorist unit “Alpha” of the KGB of Belarus. You can also hear on the recording that one of them is called Yuri. Now I don’t know who it is, but I think over time these names will become known to me.

— Why do you think the recording is about these particular people - Oleg Alkaev, Vladimir Borodach, Vyacheslav Dudkin and Pavel Sheremet?

“I think these people had information that greatly hindered the current regime. If it had been published, it would have had a very important bearing on the regime and would have greatly influenced the world community. That is why the regime was ready to do this - to eliminate people and make sure that there were no leaks of information.

— How realistic do you think the overall situation described in the recording is: the discussion in the KGB of Belarus of a plan to eliminate dissidents abroad on Lukashenko’s instructions? Do you think the Belarusian special services would have enough strength and resources to carry out such an operation on the territory of another state?

- This is not surprising to me. Throughout the 26 years of Lukashenko’s rule, the special services committed crimes of various kinds. We can recall, for example, the disappearances of opposition politicians in the late 90s. For a person who is related to the authorities and law enforcement agencies, this information is not news.

On the recording, when talking about the physical removal of Pavel Sheremet, it is said that this was planned in order to do something resonant, to start using the money that was in the KGB special account - $1,5 million was allocated by order of Lukashenko. But we must understand that physical elimination on German territory could have been done for completely different money; the perpetrators could have done it for nothing, because the main thing is to carry out the order.

On the subject: 'Goodbye to life, you will be killed': how detained protesters are bullied in Belarus

— Are you now claiming that, along with political murders, there were corruption schemes?

- Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to say. Of all the money that was deposited in the KGB special account, a much smaller amount would have been used, and the rest of the money would have gone to the KGB, deputies and those involved.

And about this money, I am sure that it came from businessmen, who were either squeezed out of business, or taken away some amount. To prevent businessmen from being imprisoned, their money is simply taken away for such dirty purposes.

— Why do you think the Belarusian special services failed to implement their plans?

— As I will repeat, in 2012, in order to save my friend, I turned to the American intelligence services - they prevented everything. If I had not done this, I am 99% sure that the people named would have been killed.

— The audio recording also talks about journalist Pavel Sheremet, who died in Kyiv in 2016 due to a car explosion. During a published conversation, ex-KGB head Vadim Zaitsev and two Alpha employees allegedly discussed exactly this method of killing Sheremet. Do you think Pavel Sheremet was killed by the Belarusian special services?

“I talked about this with informants who communicated with other people from the KGB and other structures, and I was specifically told that the work on Pavel Sheremet by the Belarusian special services did not stop. In my opinion, it was the Belarusian special services that did this. Even from this recording it is clear how emotional Zaitsev becomes when it comes to Sheremet. I am sure that Lukashenko gave instructions to the KGB to eliminate Sheremet.

Photo: Shutterstock

— What do you want to achieve by making this audio recording public?

“I want to once again convey to the world community and citizens of Belarus that the officials who were surrounded by senior KGB officials in 2011-2012 were directly related to these crimes. I can name the names: in addition to Alexander Lukashenko and Vadim Zaitsev, Ivan Tertel (at that time deputy chairman of the KGB, now chairman of the KGB of Belarus), Viktor Veger (at that time first deputy chairman of the KGB) and Oleg Chernyshev (then commander Alpha group, now deputy chairman of the KGB).

I really hope that the EU will introduce another round of sanctions against the Lukashenka regime. I also have information that Oleg Alkaev will file a complaint about his planned murder, and Germany will initiate a criminal case. I also really hope that this situation will be taken into consideration by the United States, and, of course, I would like Russia to react to this. Lukashenka’s regime has crossed all borders, and this must end.

— Maybe you have information that the Belarusian leadership is still planning political murders of its opponents?

— Unfortunately, I cannot answer this question, because I am doing serious work in this direction. When I have information that will concern someone's life, and I am sure that my informant is safe, I will definitely publish it. Because when publishing this entry, I was guided by the fact that this former KGB officer is already in the EU, his life is not in danger.

—Are you not afraid for your life after the publication of the recording?

- Of course, I worry about my life, I understand that I’m risking a lot. But I repeat: for the sake of the freedom of my native country, I am ready to sacrifice my life.

On the subject: 'I called my killer. He confessed ': Navalny announced a conversation with one of the poisoners

National Police Statement

Soon after the publication of the audio recordings, the Ukrainian National Police circulated a message in which they stated that they had received new information about possible customers for the murder of Pavel Sheremet.

They say that they recently received documents and audio recordings from the Foreign Intelligence Service, the latest of which are dated 2012 - apparently, this includes the EUObserver recording.

“Fragments of information that the National Police investigation has at its disposal have been published on the Internet. In the released recordings, unidentified persons discuss the issue of the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet. In particular, the option of poisoning using toxic substances, as well as explosion, was discussed,” the National Police say.

Law enforcement officers added that they have already received permission to conduct investigative actions in one of the European countries.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

Sheremet Case

Pavel Sheremet died on July 20, 2016 - explosives installed on his car went off... An explosive device detonated in the center of Kiev when Sheremet was driving to work.

For more than four years after the murder, the case was not solved.

Law enforcement initially considered the version of the involvement of Russian special services, but in December 2019 they unexpectedly accused a group of ATO veterans and volunteers of the murder of Sheremet - rock musician and military man Andrei Antonenko (also known as Riffmaster), pediatric surgeon and volunteer Yulia Kuzmenko (pseudonym "Fox" ) and military nurse Yana Dugar.

At first, the investigation insisted that Antonenko, “carried away by ultranationalist ideas” and “cultivating the greatness of the Aryan race,” was the organizer of the murder - it was he who allegedly involved Kuzmenko and Dugar in the crime - the first allegedly planted explosives under the car, the second carried out reconnaissance the day before.

However, already in the spring of 2020, all three defendants had their suspicions changed. Mentions of “ultranationalist ideas” and “the greatness of the Aryan race” disappeared from them, and law enforcement officials named unidentified persons as the organizers.

Now the purpose of the crime was defined as “the creation of an extremely resonant event in society with the aim of further provoking numerous protests.”

Kuzmenko and Dugar eventually softened the measure of restraint, only Antonenko remains in custody.

The investigation's version has caused a controversial reaction in society - critics believe that the evidence of the suspects' guilt is insufficient.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Boris Nemtsov posthumously won a case against Russia in the European Court

'Unidentified substance': high-profile stories of oppositionists' poisoning in Russia

In Russia, tens of thousands of people marched in memory of Boris Nemtsov

10 years after Magnitsky’s death, Russia was found guilty of violating his rights

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