Siarhei Besarab

Siarhei Besarab^[a] is a Belarusian chemist,^[1][2] civil activist,^[3] and science communicator^[4] known for his contributions to popularizing science in the fields of radioactivity, nuclear safety, and environmental protection. As one of the few voices drawing^[5][6] public attention to political repression within the Belarusian scientific and academic community, Besarab faced professional dismissal and a ban from public institutions following the 2020 Belarusian protests due to his political stance. He continued his advocacy through public science journalism, critically analyzing the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant’s safety systems and addressing the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus. His activism led to political persecution by the Belarusian authorities, with charges from the Belarusian KGB forcing him to flee to the European Union in June 2023, where he remains active in both his scientific and civic roles.

Siarhei Besarab
Сяргей Бесараб
Image of Siarhei Besarab
Born	Novogrudok, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Belarusian
Citizenship	Belarusian
Education	Belarusian State University
Occupations	Scientist Chemist Inventor Civil activist Futurologist
Employer	National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2010-2020)
Known for	Notable Belarusian science communicator CBRN safety and nuclear issues expert, known for extensive media engagement and public outreach Public criticism of the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant’s safety systems Highlighting political repression in the Belarusian scientific community Advocacy for academic freedom and human rights in Belarus
Call sign	EU1AEY
Website	https://steanlab.github.io

Early life and education

Siarhei Besarab was born in 1984 in the city of Novogrudok in the Grodno Region of western Belarus.^[7] He graduated with honors from Secondary School No. 3 in Novogrudok, where he won several awards at regional and national chemistry olympiads during his school years.^[8] While in school, Besarab was chosen for a special honor: he got to wear the academic gown of Barys Kit, a famous Belarusian-American rocket scientist. Kit donated his gown to the local museum to inspire students. This tradition recognizes top students for their achievements and connects them to Kit’s scientific legacy.^[9]

Besarab received his Bachelor of Science from the Department of Radiation Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Faculty of Chemistry, Belarusian State University, where he conducted research on radiation-induced free radicals under the supervision of Professor Oleg Shadyro, a leading specialist in the study of radiation effects.^[10]

He earned his master's degree in chemistry at the University of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB). His master’s research was supervised by Alexander Tretyak, a renowned Belarusian specialist in glass chemistry and functional glass materials.^[11] Following his master’s studies, Besarab completed his PhD in surface science under the guidance of academician Vladimir Komarov at the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry at NASB.^[3] Komarov is recognized as a leading Belarusian chemist and founder of the national school of adsorption science.^[12]

During his secondary school and university years, Besarab developed an interest in meteoritics and meteorite hunting. He worked as an analytical chemist in a team involved in commercial meteorite search expeditions, where he was responsible for identifying recovered materials. ^[13][14] This early professional experience contributed to his scientific training and practical skills.

Career

Scientific research

Since 2010, Besarab has worked as a research scientist in the Laboratory of Adsorbents and Adsorption Processes at the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry at NASB, and focusing on inorganic porous materials, effective adsorbents, and new catalysts.^[15] Holder of 12 patents,^[16][2] his research ranked^[17] among the top 100 in Belarusian fundamental and applied sciences from 2011 to 2015 and earned^[2] him two prizes in the Republican Scientific Research Competition (2009, 2011). In 2016, he won the Belarusian segment of the Skolkovo Startup Tour for a mercury fume purification device^[18] and contributed to developing polymer hydrogels^[19] and additive technologies in cardiac surgery as a scientific advisor at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Pediatric Surgery. Additionally, he organized Belarus's first scientific hackathon, SciHackathon, in 2017.^[20][21]

Science communication

Logo of LAB-66, a science blog managed by Siarhei Besarab

Siarhei Besarab has made significant contributions to science communication as a journalist and educator.^[22] Since 2019, he has managed LAB-66, the largest Belarusian science popularization channel on Telegram, with over 19,000 readers, focusing on chemistry, civil safety, and radiological protection.^[23][24] The blog's analytical articles have been widely reprinted in Belarusian and Ukrainian media, and its content has supported investigative journalism, such as that by the OSINT project Belarusian Hajun.

As a futurologist, Besarab has published articles and forecasts on topics such as artificial intelligence,^[25] synthetic biology, and energy innovation in Belarusian independent media, including Belsat and TUT.by.^[26][27][28]

Besarab is also active as a climate science communicator, regularly publishing analytical articles on the impact of climate change in Belarus and Eastern Europe.^[24] He is recognized for raising public awareness about climate-related risks, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies in the region.^[29][30] In 2025, he received the Green Award Prize^[31] for producing some of the best environmental content in the country, including his analysis of climate anomalies in Belarus and articles focusing on local adaptation strategies.^[32]

As a scientist actively involved in public policy discourse, Siarhei Besarab collaborates with several independent Belarusian investigative initiatives. Notably, he has contributed to the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC), providing scientific analysis and expert commentary in investigations related to environmental violations, misuse of hazardous substances, and industrial activities linked to corruption or state repression. His work has supported efforts to expose alleged crimes and abuses associated with the Lukashenko regime.^{[33][irrelevant citation]}

Besarab also champions alternative food sources, such as insect protein, further advancing science literacy.^[34]

Public activities and civil activism

Siarhei Besarab has played a prominent role in advocating for civil rights and academic freedom in Belarus. In 2020, he issued a scientific rebuttal to accusations against civil activist Stsiapan Latypau, debunking claims of a plot to poison law enforcement with agricultural chemicals.^[35] He also contributed to an Appeal by Belarusian scientists condemning state violence following the contested presidential election, actions that led to his dismissal from the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry and a professional ban.^[36] His inclusion in the list of repressed Belarusian scientists prompted the scientific community to publish The Scientists’ Open Letter Against Repressions, signed by over 800 academics.^[37]

In response to ongoing repression, Besarab co-founded the Belarusian Scientific Solidarity Fund^[38] to support persecuted scholars. He further opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine by publishing an open letter on behalf of the Belarusian scientific community,^[39][40][41] despite backlash from the NASB.^[42] As part of the Until All Are Free campaign,^[43] he became an advocate^[44] for political prisoner Artsiom Bayarski, a chemistry student targeted for his involvement in post-election protests.

Besarab has consistently highlighted issues in Belarusian science, such as censorship, lack of academic freedom,^[45] and opaque funding practices. His data-driven initiatives include mapping the repression of Belarusian citizens^[46] and scientists, producing analyses like the "map of Belarusian extremism"^[47] and profiles of repressed academics.^[45] Through his activism, Besarab remains a vocal proponent of transparency and reform in science policy and education.^[48][49][50]

Political persecution

Besarab, widely recognized as a scientific journalist specializing in radioactivity, dosimetry, nuclear plant safety, and the environmental impact of nuclear waste,^[51] gained prominence among Russian-speaking readers for his critical analyses of radiation safety. His reputation as a technical expert became particularly notable after the launch of the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant, where he emerged as one of the leading public critics of the station's radiation safety systems.^{[52][53][54][55][56]}

In spring 2023, amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced plans to bring Russian tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus. Besarab responded by publishing detailed descriptions^[57] of potential storage sites for these weapons on his blog and engaging with independent Belarusian media to discuss the associated risks. This activity placed him in direct conflict with Belarusian authorities, who subsequently labeled all content from his science blog as extremist material.^[58][59]

Facing mounting pressure, Besarab became the target of criminal charges for allegedly causing harm to the state.^[60][61] The Belarusian KGB threatened him with imprisonment, prompting his decision to flee the country and seek political asylum within the European Union to ensure his safety.^[62] In addition to legal persecution, Besarab faced an orchestrated smear campaign in state-run media, including attacks by propagandists from prominent outlets such as Belarus Today.^[63]

Footnotes

1. Belarusian: Сярге́й Васіле́віч Бесара́б, romanized: Siarhei Vasilevič Besarab;Russian: Серге́й Васи́льевич Бесара́б, romanized: Sergey Vasilyevich Besarab; Łacinka: Siarhiej Vasilievič Biesarab; Belarusian Arabic alphabet: "ثَرْهَيْ وَثِلَوِچْ بَصَرَبْ'"