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Former KGB Agent Revealed Special Services’ Methods Against Charter97.org

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Former KGB Agent Revealed Special Services’ Methods Against Charter97.org
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Siarhei Vasiliyeu, who has escaped to Poland, revealed new details of the KGB servicemen’s secrets.

Another scandal broke out around the KGB. This time, former special-service agent Siarhei Vasiliyeu, who had fled to Poland, revealed new details on how the democratic movement representatives are being discredited in Belarus. The case concerns Homel activists and the scandalous gomelbest.com site. The statement of the former agent, named Simon, aroused indignation among the opposition. The KGB refuses to comment on the incident, Belsat reports.

Homel resident Siarhei Vasiliyeu started to work with the KGB more than 20 years ago. At first, his task was to identify conscripts, dodging the military service, then he helped the special services fighting against drug dealers. He considered his role of agent Simon as his vital mission.

"I did not see anything wrong in that. I wanted to work in the police, but they did not take me. I thought that I could do something good in that way," – Siarhei Vasiliyeu says.

However, another front of struggle was opened soon – the one with the opposition. Then, Vasiliyeu's task was to "work" with dissidents. The main issue was creating the gomelbest.com site. The Internet source had to be created under the guise of "independent media". In fact, the site posted libel publications, discrediting Homel democratic movement representatives.

"My task was to make a server, host a website and monitor over it so that it would always work for them to post information. I had to pay for services, they gave me money to do that (and for my work as well)," – Siarhei Vasiliyeu says.

Those, whose names had something to do with the gomelbest.com "publications", could not reach the truth for years. There was no one to complain about, the authors of the offensive publications did not exist officially. Homel opposition movement representatives openly say that the information on the website has broken many lives. Some people were in danger of getting into jail because of Vasiliyeu.

"I'm sure that this man hacked my personal page, mail box and on my behalf sent out pornography to the tax office and investigation committee," – human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka says.

During Siarhei Vasiliyeu’s frequent meetings with the KGB officers, he was given money and dosed information on the department’s internal policy.

"Vakulchyk came and decided that all the information security was just posting articles and comments."

The former secret agent also told about the methods of information warfare with independent media.

"Charter97.org publishes an article, we rearrange the words, post something very similar, but with the different meaning," – Siarhei Vasiliyeu’s curator says.

So far, the KGB refuses to comment on their former agent’s confessions. There was no answer to Belsat's questions.

"I just can advise you to follow our site. If something appears, we will publish it," – KGB official representative Dzmitry Pabiarzhyn says.

Vasiliyeu does not intend to return to Belarus. He will face criminal liability at home. According to the former agent, he already has a permanent residence in Poland and hopes to obtain the citizenship. Should a European Union country give refuge to such a kind of person?

"I'm not worried about whose task he was carrying out. I want him to repent publicly of what he was doing. Not just of what he has already revealed. It's only the tip of the iceberg so far. To make every agent, who comes here to the office, know that sooner or later he would end up badly," – human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka says.

Siarhei Vasiliyeu’s cooperation with the KGB stopped last year, as well as gomelbest.com site’s activities.

"I want everyone to know how the KGB works, how they achieve their aims. The methods of the modern Belarusian KGB are not different from the USSR ones," – the former KGB agent says.

The scandal surrounding the KGB is far from being the first one lately. It has become known recently from former KGB major Andrei Mauchan, who managed to fled to Sweden, about what is happening inside the department and at the highest levels of power.

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