De-Ranked Intelligence Operative: It’s Not Just Us Lukashenka Fears, There Can Be No Ex-Officers

Probably, the usurper receives reports on what they really think of him in the law-enforcement agencies.

The intelligence operative, retired lieutenant colonel of the KGB Siarhei Aniska, deprived of his rank, spoke about why the list of “disgraced” officers appeared, and shares his vision in this regard.

“When the information appeared that this list was being prepared, I was sure that I would be on it,” Siarhei Aniska told the correspondent of Solidarity. - But at the present time in Belarus it is still unknown what is more honorable - when you are given a rank of a colonel or general ahead of schedule, or when you are included in such a list.

- What do you think it was done for?

- Obviously, the problem is in the microclimate in the power structures. Probably, Aliaksandr Lukashenka is informed that not everyone loves him there. And the list is an attempt to intimidate the rest.

- Do you have any contacts with your former colleagues, comrades in arms?

- Generally, cooperativeness is characteristic of all power structures. Of course, we all communicate, both with former and current employees. So we have it. Only earlier it was called “succession of generations”, when veterans came officially, met with young workers, and passed on their experience.

But in the early 2000s, this suddenly stopped and each active employee had to report in writing if he met with any of the former employees. Therefore, now all contacts have remained only interpersonal and, of course, are not advertised.

- It is known that the ranks of power structures are carefully checked for those ideologically disloyal, up to a polygraph test. Is it possible to “mop up” everyone?

- I don’t think so, because I remember how at the stage of collecting signatures in the queues of people with passports, willing to sign for alternative candidates, there was a fairly large layer of security officials. It seems to me that all these lists have been checked long ago and these people have been put on notice. And if all of them are fired, then there will be no one to work.

Obviously, there are many more of them than on this list. With someone, they probably carried out preventive work, shook a finger, deprived of the bonus, someone was threatened with non-renewal of the contract.

I have no doubt that there is not only a wormhole in the power structures now, but rather a good deep rabbithole.

There are normal people in all structures, both in the police, those who are looking for real criminals, and in the KGB, those who are engaged in intelligence and counterintelligence.

- By the way, about counterintelligence. As a specialist, can you comment on the latest high-profile operation involving the KGB to uncover the “conspiracy”?

- As a specialist, I am not ready to comment on the “spy film comedy”.

- About you, those who were stripped of their titles, they said that you “made a mistake in choosing a profession”.

- My father was a military man, I spent my whole life in military camps. In such a town in Mongolia I went to school. And the entire personnel of the KGB government communications company accompanied me, a 17-year-old boy.

I have remembered these minutes of farewell at the station, when soldiers who were older than me were seeing me off, for the rest of my life. It was my dream to become a military man. I graduated from college. And at a time when our current politicians were sitting in warm offices or even in classrooms, I already commanded a company in the war in Afghanistan.

- You remember a very touching moment of parting words from senior comrades. And in the history of modern Belarus, a kind of rite of “transfer of energy charge” has appeared.

- I would very much like this military commissar to really be a sincere supporter of Lukashenka. It's scary when a person does one thing and thinks another. Such chameleon people are much scarier. And Lukashenka is not afraid of us, the 80 men included in the list, he is afraid of such people.

- What have you lost along with the title?

- I retired due to illness in 1995. Plus, I had a bonus for participating in hostilities in Afghanistan. By the standards of Belarus, I have a very decent pension. I do not know what will be taken away - an additional payment for the length of service, for a military rank, an official salary, or they will take everything and I will receive the social pension from now on. Or, maybe, like Stanislau Shushkevich, 3.5 dollars.

But I have many friends, relatives, colleagues, classmates - a large circle of people who will not leave me. I have brains, I have hands. And, most importantly, I live a normal, honest life.

If Lukashenka feels better now having stripped me of my titles, let it be. But there can be no ex-officers. This saying is a bit trivial, but in fact it’s correct.

- Do you want to flee Belarus?

- I’ve had many opportunities, I have a lot of friends both in Russia and in Ukraine. But I am Belarusian and this is my country, my piece of land. And my Belarus is different from the current government of Belarus.

My Belarus is the place where I was born, where I lived, the places that I keep in my heart, and I want to live in this country.