Why would Lukashenka reshuffle KGB chiefs?
This position was occupied by four people over the past 12 years.
Political commentator Alexander Feduta describes each of the KGB chairman as follows:
“Uladzimir Yagorau was an old-formation man but with democratic views. He could not last long and became a member of parliament. I understand that he has exited politics by now. Uladzimir Matskevich, a career spy, was dismissed to become Belarus’s Ambassador in Serbia.
Under Matskevich, KGB made the last attempt to carry out usual functions despite the personality of Lukashenka. His successor, Leanid Yerin was quite an ordinary personality. Yet he was professional and cautious. He would not allow himself to do stupid things like Sukharenka did”.
It is interesting that none of KGB chiefs has lasted for two presidential campaigns. After the 2004 referendum, Yerin was replaced by Sukharenka, the then head of the KGB department for the Minsk region, because the latter made sure that a high percent of people voted in favor of giving Lukashenka the right to run for presidency more that two times.
Another version suggests that Yerin resigned due to careless remarks to several journalists from the independent media that those responsible for the disappearance of opposition politicians, journalists and businessmen would soon be punished. The interview was made at the background of the street protests against the 2004 referendum results in Minsk.
Yury Zhadobin has become the second KGB chief who served at the Presidential Security Service. The first – Leanid Yerin – used to be in charge of the president’s personal guard. It is interesting that Lukashenka himself hinted at the conflict between the country’s special services and his personal secret service by saying that he did not fear KGB and was watching it closely.
When appointing Sukharenka, the head of the state tasked the new spy chief with boosting intelligence and counter-intelligence activities and fighting organized crime and terrorism. The new KGB chairman is ordered to improve the organization’s human resources as soon as possible.
Human rights activist Aleg Vouchak suggests that Sukharenka’s resignation is proof to a conflict between clans, police and secret services. Another option is that Sukharenka was too close to Viktar Sheiman, the Security Council chairman, who was in Venezuela during the dismissal of Sukharenka.
Political analyst Alexander Feduta shared this viewpoint in this regard:
“I think a chairman of the main security agency cannot afford to look ridiculous. Since 2005, only lazy people have not mocked at General Sukharenka who stated that the opposition wanted to use dead rats to launch terror attacks.
Regarding the appointment of the former chief of president’s security service as a new KGB chairman, it means that instead of a professional provocateur (Sukharenka) Lukashenka appointed a soldier who obeys orders and does not do anything on the edge of stupidity".
