‘Precisely Sheremet Was Custodian Of Information That Would Hit Lukashenka Regime’

The source of the recording of the conversation in the KGB of Belarus testified in Ukraine.

Former employee of the Belarusian special forces “Almaz” Ihar Makar, who published a record with some speakers discussing the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet, testified in Ukraine. He himself told about this in an interview with “Nastoyascheye Vremya”.

Makar, an opposition activist and spokesman for the Belarusian People's Tribunal, was the one who provided EUobserver with a recording of a 2012 conversation with speakers discussing the murder of Pavel Sheremet. The 24-minute recording was allegedly made in the office of the head of the KGB during a meeting dedicated to the beginning of the work of the secret seventh department of the anti-terrorist unit “Alpha”. According to Makar's sources, the “Alpha” special unit was created in 2012, among other things, to solve tasks of terror and eliminate political competitors. In 2008-2012, the KGB of Belarus was headed by Vadzim Zaitsau.

The study of the St. Petersburg The Independent Inspection Services “Criminalistic Laboratory of Audiovisual Documents”, carried out by order of the TV channel “Nastoyascheye Vremya”, confirmed the authenticity of the audio recording.

Makar said that in 2012, when he received the record, he personally did not warn either the Russian or the Ukrainian authorities about the intentions of the Belarusian security forces that became known to him, and the Ukrainian special services only became aware of the record in January 2021. Earlier in an interview with Novaya Gazeta, he said that in 2012 “information was transferred to the Russian Federation, and to Ukraine, and even to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.”

- When are you going to Kyiv to testify to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine in the case of the murder of Pavel Sheremet?

- I was in Ukraine from 12 to 16 January. I returned the day before yesterday. As I already said, after the publication of my information, which concerns the entry in the office of the head of the KGB of Belarus, Ukrainian diplomats contacted me. In the course of our conversation, agreements were reached that I would cooperate with the investigation, which relates specifically to the initiated case concerning the murder of Pavel Sheremet. Later, the special services of Ukraine contacted me, and I also confirmed that I was ready to cooperate and give some evidence in the course of some investigative actions. Later they gave me information that they would like me to fly to Ukraine for investigative actions with me. The Ukrainian side reported that they have absolutely no reason not to trust me. The information I have provided proves the involvement of the Belarusian special services in this crime, that it is the state structures, a special unit of Belarus, that ordered this crime.

In Ukraine, I felt completely safe. I was convinced that the Ukrainian special services confirmed that everything was within the framework of our agreements. I was provided with state security 24 hours a day, it worked flawlessly and professionally. I flew back to Vilnius on January 16.

- Can you tell us more about the investigative actions that took place?

- I gave a lot of information, in my opinion, which relates directly to the evidence base, and the fact that the customer is the Belarusian special services. To my great regret, I cannot give more detail, because I have obligations to the investigating authorities that can harm the investigative actions. Therefore, unfortunately, I cannot say anything more.

- Can you tell how the recording of this conversation got into your hands? Will there be an expert opinion on the authenticity of this recording?

- Yes of course. The recording came to me exactly when it was made - in 2012. I already reported that on the recording I heard that they wanted to eliminate my friend Aleh Alkayeu. I immediately turned to American diplomats to provide some kind of assistance. Later I learned that the criminal police of Germany turned to Aleh Alkayeu, that he needed to be provided with security, also with a request that he should not leave the city of Berlin, as well as Germany, because his life is in danger. I realized that the American side had taken some necessary measures, and warned him that a crime was being prepared.

I am also sure that Pavel Sheremet, who was then living in the Russian Federation, was also warned. And, probably, Dudkin and Baradach. I had no more information. Then I matched my personal beliefs. Once during a conversation, Aleh Alkayeu told me that after the German police revealed to him the fact that his life was in danger, he talked to Pavel, and he told him: “Be careful, because there is information that they want to eliminate me.” However, in my opinion, and I asked Aleh, Pavel answered absolutely nothing. In principle, I understand that he was not warned, because if he had been warned, of course, he would have told Aleh everything. I think if he had been warned, maybe he would have called Aleh himself and warned him, but this did not happen.

- Did the Ukrainian special services know about this recording before its publication, for example, after the murder of Pavel Sheremet - after July 2016 - or did they find out only in January, when everything became known to everyone?

- Yes, they found out only in January. When I was at the investigative actions in the National Police of Ukraine, I was provided with precisely written publications, which said that I had warned both the Russian Federation and Ukraine. But I could not do this a priori. First, because I did not warn them that a crime was being prepared specifically for the murder of Pavel Sheremet. And secondly, in 2012 Pavel Sheremet, according to my information, was in the Russian Federation, he lived in the city of Moscow. And I could not imagine that he would leave for Ukraine some year.

- Why didn't you consider it necessary to publish these records immediately after the murder of Pavel Sheremet?

- I have already spoken about it. I was not involved in political activities, there was no point in publishing these records that I had. And right now I did it, because, having seen how the Belarusian people act, I saw their unity, I saw that the people are finally ready to fight the dictatorial regime that exists in Belarus today. And I made such a decision - to publish all my information precisely to support the people of Belarus.

And it was after all these publications and [after] the murder of Pavel Sheremet, about whom I learned in more detail - I read the information and realized that he was blasted dead in the car, I compared the information that was on the record - they also planned the elimination of Pavel Sheremet with the help of a cache that will be put in the car. Actually, this is what happened. And, in my opinion, it looks like a demonstrative murder, it is very typical of the dictatorial regime of Lukashenka.

- What is your version - why Sheremet was so dangerous for Lukashenka?

- According to my information, it was Pavel Sheremet who was the custodian of the information that would have hit the dictatorial regime of Lukashenka very hard. It is obvious that Lukashenka had a personal dislike for Pavel Sheremet. The information that I have, and I think I will soon try to make it public, will clearly prove that the Belarusian dictatorial regime was involved in this crime.

Pavel Sheremet died on July 20, 2016, an explosive device went off in his car. The case against the perpetrators of the murder of Sheremet was transferred to the court, and for the customers it was separated into separate criminal proceeding, the investigation into which continues.