Łukašenka appoints former KGB official as financial police chief

February 2, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has appointed Andrej Sambuk as chief of the Financial Investigations Directorate at the State Control Committee (SCC), Pul Pervogo, his press office’s unofficial Telegram channel says.

The Belarusian leader also promoted Kanstancin Byčak, an officer notorious for infiltrating Online meetings of opposition supporters abroad, to chief of the KGB’s Investigation Directorate.

Financial intelligence “has had enough problems” after it was turned over to the SCC control from the KGB, the Belarusian ruler noted.

He described Sambuk as a “new generation” of officials with high career prospects.

“We need to give a certain direction [to the Financial Investigations Directorate], maybe related more to more systematic work, as it is done in the KGB,” Łukašenka’s press office quoted him as saying.

Prior to the appointment, Sambuk headed the KGB Investigation Directorate.

There is little information on him in the open sources. He had been with the KGB at least since 2011 when he reportedly rejected a request to release journalist Iryna Chalip before trial.

In September 2022, jailed regime critic Alaksandar Fiaduta mentioned Sambuk in his address to the court. “[I have an] impression that Colonel Sambuk, who heads the Investigative Directorate at the KGB, signs documents without regaining consciousness,” he said.

The SCC Financial Investigations Directorate is in charge of preventing, detecting and fighting economic crimes, including corruption. It was involved in politically-motivated persecution.