Journalist Zmicier Pankaviec has warned that unknown individuals are attempting to collect information about Belarusian volunteers fighting in Ukraine using his name.
A contact named “Zmicier Pankaviec” on Telegram approached the widow of fallen fighter Vasil Rapitski requesting an interview. During the conversation, the interlocutor claimed that the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was doing nothing for volunteers and appeared to expect the same statement from Rapitski’s widow. He then asked for the contact details of volunteer Aliaksandr Klachko.
“Someone (clearly Belarusian special services) is collecting information about Belarusian volunteers using my name.
A person identifying themselves on Telegram as “Zmicier Pankaviec” contacted the widow of fallen fighter Vasil ‘Dzir’ Rapitski with a request for an interview. Sviatlana is interested in preserving the memory of her husband, so she agreed to talk. The interviewer pushed the idea that the office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is doing nothing for volunteers and expected the widow to say the same.
After that, the interlocutor asked Sviatlana for the contact of my friend Aliaksandr Klachko. Sasha cautiously asked me whether I wanted to speak with him about Dzir. I told him he must have confused me with someone else — and why would I ask for your contact if we are already in constant communication. That is where they clearly made a mistake,” Pankaviec wrote.
