Siarhei Besarab was born in 1984 in the city of Novogrudok in the Grodno Region of western Belarus. 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. In recognition of his academic performance in chemistry, Besarab received a local student distinction which included the ceremonial wearing of the academic gown belonging to Boris Kit, a rocket scientist originally from the region.
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 Belarusian specialist in glass chemistry and functional glass materials. Following his master's studies, Besarab conducted doctoral research in surface science under the guidance of academician Vladimir Komarov at the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry at NASB. Komarov is recognized as a leading Belarusian chemist and founder of the national school of adsorption science.
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.
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. Holder of 12 patents, his research ranked among the top 100 in Belarusian fundamental and applied sciences from 2011 to 2015 and earned 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 and contributed to developing polymerhydrogels 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.
Science communication
Logo of LAB-66, a science blog managed by Siarhei Besarab
Siarhei Besarab has made contributions to science communication as a journalist and educator. 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. 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.
He has also produced forecasts on the development of emerging technologies, including synthetic biology and energy innovation, publishing his analyses in Belarusian independent media such as Belsat and TUT.by. In March 2026, Besarab debuted as a television presenter, launching his own weekly science and futurology segment on the independent television channel Belsat TV. The segment, broadcast as part of the morning show Ranitsa z Belsatam (Morning with Belsat), focuses on the critical analysis of emerging technologies, bioethics, and techno-social forecasting.
Besarab is also active as a climate science communicator, regularly publishing analytical articles on the impact of climate change in Belarus and Eastern Europe. He is recognized for raising public awareness about climate-related risks, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies in the region. In 2025, he received the Green Award Prize 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.
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. 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. 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.
In response to ongoing repression, Besarab co-founded the Belarusian Scientific Solidarity Fund to support persecuted scholars. He further opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine by publishing an open letter on behalf of the Belarusian scientific community, despite backlash from the NASB. As part of the Until All Are Free campaign, he became an advocate for political prisoner Artsiom Bayarski, a chemistry student targeted for his involvement in post-election protests.
As a public defender of academic freedom Besarab has consistently highlighted issues in Belarusian science, such as censorship, lack of academic freedom, and opaque funding practices. His data-driven initiatives include mapping the repression of Belarusian citizens and scientists, producing analyses like the "map of Belarusian extremism" and profiles of repressed academics. Through his activism, Besarab remains a vocal proponent of transparency and reform in science policy and education.
In October 2025, Besarab published an analysis disputing allegations that weather balloons drifting into Lithuania were used for smuggling. He argued that such methods were not economically viable and characterized the objects as educational tools.
In early 2026, Besarab published a report analyzing the arrest of Belarusian amateur radio operators on treason charges. He argued that the equipment cited by authorities was technically incapable of the alleged espionage. This analysis attracted international attention to the crackdown, with coverage by technology outlets such as 404 Media and Boing Boing, which highlighted the suppression of technical hobbyist communities in Belarus. The report was also circulated by international radio organizations, including the French Union of Radio Amateurs (UFRC). According to Besarab, the crackdown threatens national emergency response capabilities, as radio hobbyists often provide critical communication support during natural disasters.
Besarab is an active advocate for the preservation of national digital heritage and cultural archives. In April 2026, he acted as a key catalyst for one of the most prominent ethical debates regarding hacktivism in Belarusian society. Following a disruptive cyberattack on the electronic catalog of the National Library of Belarus by the hacker collective Cyber Partisans, Besarab publicly condemned the incident. He emphasized that risking the destruction of historical digital catalogs and archives disproportionately harms future generations of scholars rather than affecting the ruling political regime, categorizing such acts as digitally irresponsible. Besarab's vocal opposition, supported by other figures within the Belarusian cultural intelligentsia, triggered a widespread debate in the opposition media concerning the problem of "collateral damage" applied to civil infrastructure. The debate's impact was substantial enough to force radical media commentators who had initially dismissed the academic community's concerns to issue public apologies to the researchers.
Siarhei Besarab speaking at the TEDxUlicaMinska conference (2026) in Warsaw, Poland
In April 2026, Besarab was an invited speaker at TEDxUlicaMinska, an independently organized TEDx conference held in Warsaw by the Belarusian diaspora. In his talk on radiation safety, he addressed the psychological and societal impacts of radiophobia, arguing that an objective understanding of radiation physics and basic scientific literacy are the most effective tools to combat irrational fear of modern technological risks.
Technical critique of the nuclear waste repository project
In 2025–2026, independent media highlighted Besarab as a leading scientific expert assessing Belarus's radiation safety policies. Following plans to build a National Radioactive Waste Repository for the BelNPP, Besarab published several critiques focused on the project's engineering and technological shortcomings.
As a radiation chemist, he criticized the choice of a low-cost, near-surface trench repository. Besarab warned of the "bathtub effect", where accumulated water leads to the rapid corrosion of steel containers and inevitable leaks of highly active isotopes (like caesium and strontium) into groundwater. Given these physicochemical risks, he rejected all three government-proposed sites (Astravyets, Mstsislaw District, and the Chernobyl zone) as hydrogeologically unsafe, warning of transboundary contamination. In July 2026, Besarab formalized these warnings by analyzing the project's official Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), identifying 12 critical technical defects, including non-compliance with IAEA standards and severe containment vulnerabilities.
Additionally, analyzing data with Flagshtok media and the Cyber Partisans group, Besarab questioned the technological competence of BelRAO, the state enterprise managing the facility. He highlighted a severe lack of specialized nuclear engineers in leadership roles, which were largely filled by former security personnel (including KGB). He argued that prioritizing political loyalty over required engineering expertise dramatically increases the risk of environmental disasters.
Political persecution
Besarab gained prominence among Russian and Belarusian 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.
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 of potential storage sites for these weapons on his blog and engaging with independent 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 (see Classification of extremist materials in Belarus for details).
Facing mounting pressure, Besarab became the target of criminal charges for allegedly causing harm to the state. 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.
↑"Бесараб: "Беларускім прадпрыемствам грошы вельмі патрэбныя, і ў цяперашніх варунках для іх «вайна — маці родная""[Besarab: Belarusian enterprises need moneys very much, and in the current situation for them 'war is a mother-in-law']. gazetaby.com (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28. Журналіст абмеркаваў з навукоўцам і самым вядомым беларускім навукова-тэхнічным блогерам Сяргеем Бесарабам перспектывы і сутнасць беларуска-расійскага супрацоўніцтва ў авіябудаўніцтве[The journalist discussed outlook for the future of Belarusian-Russian cooperation in aviation with Siarhei Besarab, a scientist and the most well-known Belarusian science and technology blogger]
↑"«Спасибо всевышнему, что уцелел». Известные беларусы рассказали, какими они были в школе, и поделились своими фото тех лет — смотрите"[Famous belarusians share rare childhood school photos and stories]. Зеркало (in Russian). 2026-02-07. Archived from the original on 2026-02-07. Retrieved 2026-02-07. Ученый-химик Сергей Бесараб в 10-м классе на соревновании по туристско-прикладному многоборью (ТПМ), 2001 год. Новогрудок — городок «горный», спортивный туризм был любимым видом спорта с начальной школы, — вспоминает Сергей Бесараб. — Учился в средней школе № 3. Большую часть времени тэпээмом, родимым, и занимался. В перерывах между химией, конечно[Novogrudok is a 'mountainous' town; sports tourism was my favorite sport since elementary school, recalls chemist Siarhei Besarab. I studied at Secondary School No. 3. I spent most of my time on TPM—my beloved tourist-applied multi-sport—and chemistry in between.]
↑"Таленты побач" [Talents Among Us]. Novae Zhytstsio (in Belarusian). No.71 (8256). Novogrudok. 2001. p.3.
↑"114 гадоў з дня нараджэння Барыса Кіта"[Celebrating 114 Years Since the Birth of Barys Kit, Belarusian-American Rocket Pioneer]. Рацыя (in Belarusian). 2024-04-06. Archived from the original on 2024-04-06. Retrieved 2025-07-07. Сяргей Бесараб – адзін з тых вучняў Наваградка, якому за поспехі ў вучобе пашчасціла ганарова насіць мантыю Барыса Кіта, якую вучоны ў свой час перадаў на вечнае захаванне ў Наваградскі гісторыка-краязнаўчы музей.[Siarhei Besarab was one of the few high school students in Novogrudok who received a special honor for academic excellence: he was chosen to wear the academic gown of Barys Kit, a renowned Belarusian-American rocket scientist. Kit donated his gown to the local history museum so that it could be awarded to outstanding students as a way to inspire them and connect them to his scientific legacy.]
↑""Гэта можа выклікаць рак". Навуковец б'е трывогу адносна таго, што ў Беларусі пачалі апраменьваць прадукты радыяцыяй"[‘This Could Cause Cancer’: Scientist Raises Alarm Over Radiation-Treated Food in Belarus]. Наша Ніва (in Belarusian). 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2025-06-30. Сяргей Бесараб - выпускнік кафедры радыяцыйнай хіміі БДУ, дзе ён займаўся менавіта свабоднымі радыкаламі, якія ўзнікаюць пад уздзеяннем радыяцыі. Яго навуковы кіраўнік, прафесар Алег Шадыра, лічыўся найлепшым спецыялістам у даследаванні ўплыву радыяцыі.[Siarhei Besarab is a graduate of the Department of Radiation Chemistry at Belarusian State University, where he specialized in studying free radicals generated by radiation exposure. His academic advisor, Professor Oleg Shadyro, is recognized as a leading expert in the study of radiation effects.]
↑"В Канаде рассказали о прорывной разработке, которую в Беларуси зарубили много лет назад. Как такое происходит, объяснил автор проекта"[Canada Unveils Breakthrough Innovation Rejected Years Ago in Belarus — Project's Creator Explains Why It Happens]. Зеркало (in Russian). 2024-02-28. Archived from the original on 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2025-06-30. Руководитель моей магистерской программы - это Александр Николаевич Третьяк. Уникальный, если не единственный в Беларуси специалист по химии стекла и хрусталя, который долгое время пытался привлечь внимание к необходимости разработки в Беларуси собственных функциональных стекол[My master's program was led by Alexander Nikolaevich Tretyak — a unique, and perhaps the only, expert in glass and crystal chemistry in Belarus. For years, he worked to draw attention to the urgent need for developing Belarus’s own functional glass materials.]
↑"Разведчык з Кнігі вялікіх хімікаў"[A Pioneer from the Book of Great Chemists]. «Настаўніцкая газета» (in Russian). 2016-03-03. Archived from the original on 2021-06-20. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
↑Kilʹchevskiĭ, A. V.; Natsyi︠a︡nalʹnai︠a︡ akadėmii︠a︡ navuk Belarusi, eds. (2016). Katalog top-100 rezulʹtatov fundamentalʹnykh i prikladnykh issledovaniĭ NAN Belarusi[Catalog of TOP-100 Results of Fundamental and Applied Research of NAS of Belarus for 2011-2015] (in Russian). Minsk: Belnavuka. ISBN978-985-08-2009-9.
↑"Сколково продвигает идеи молодых" [Skolkovo promotes the ideas of the young scientists]. Навука (in Russian). 2587 (16): 2. 2016.
↑"Наука в ударе"[Science is on fire]. www.sb.by (in Russian). СБ-Беларусь. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
↑Расонскі, Анатоль (2025-07-25). "Феномен Бесараба: калі навука становіцца мовай супраціву"[Trust as Infrastructure: The Story of Siarhei Besarab, a Belarusian Scientist]. Novy Chas (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2025-07-25. Гэты пераломны момант надаў яго постаці новую якасць, ператварыўшы ў аднаго з самых прыкметных публічных навукова-тэхнічных інтэлектуалаў краіны[This pivotal moment redefined his public presence, turning him into one of the country’s most prominent scientific and technical public intellectuals]
↑Кот, Юлія (2024). "Бесараб: "Беларускім прадпрыемствам грошы вельмі патрэбныя, і ў цяперашніх варунках для іх «вайна — маці родная""[Belarusian Firms Rely on War Profits to Survive, Expert Says]. gazetaby.com (in Belarusian). Салідарнасць (газета). Archived from the original on 2025-07-02. Мы абмеркавалі з навукоўцам і самым вядомым беларускім навукова-тэхнічным блогерам Сяргеем Бесарабам перспектывы і сутнасць беларуска-расійскага супрацоўніцтва ў авіябудаўніцтве[We spoke with Siarhei Besarab, a leading Belarusian science and technology blogger and researcher, about the prospects and realities of Belarus-Russia cooperation in the aviation industry.]
12TV, Belsat. "Навуковец Сяргей Бесараб: тарнада ў Беларусі будуць усё часцейшымі, і з гэтым трэба навучыцца жыць"[Belarus faces more tornadoes: scientist Siarhei Besarab on why extreme weather is the new normal]. belsat.eu (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-07-14. Задалі гэтыя пытанні навукоўцу, эксперту па грамадзянскай бяспецы і кліматычнай адаптацыі Сяргею Бесарабу, заснавальніку буйнейшага беларускага канала папулярызацыі навукі LAB-66.[These questions were addressed to Siarhei Besarab, a scientist, expert in civil safety and climate adaptation, and founder of LAB-66, the largest Belarusian science popularization channel.]
↑Deutsche, Welle. "Лукашенко хочет продавать Европе воздух. Это возможно? – DW – 20.11.2025"[Lukashenko Wants to Sell Air to Europe – An Unbelievable Claim]. dw.com. Retrieved 2025-11-20. Заявления Лукашенко о дарении Европе воздуха химик и приглашенный исследователь Института глобальных катастрофических рисков (GCRI) Сергей Бесараб называет "полным абсурдом".[Chemist and visiting researcher at the Institute for Global Catastrophic Risks (GCRI), Siarhei Besarab, calls Lukashenko's statements about giving air to Europe "complete nonsense."]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
↑"Гомельшчына, амерыканскія прэрыі і рэпленты"[Gomel Region: American Prairies and Invasive Species Threats]. Homeldays (in Belarusian). 2025-07-31. Archived from the original on 2025-08-04. Retrieved 2025-08-04. Гэтую справу нам пракаментаваў навуковец, запрошаны даследчык Інстытута глабальных катастрафічных рызыкаў (GCRI), Сяргей Бесараб[This issue was commented on by scientist and visiting researcher at the Global Catastrophic Risk Institute (GCRI), Siarhei Besarab]
↑Racja, Białoruskie Radio (2025-12-08). "Зіма будзе цяплейшая, але больш кантрасная"[Belarusian Climate Expert Predicts: This Winter Will Be the Warmest Yet—But More Extreme]. racyja.com (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2025-12-08. Retrieved 2025-12-08. Госць Рацыі — навуковец, кліматычны актывіст, запрошаны даследчык Інстытута глабальных катастрафічных рызыкаў Сяргей Бесараб. Гутарым з ім пра надыходзячую зіму — якой яна будзе, да чаго рыхтавацца. І наогул, якія кліматычныя змены чакаюць чалавецтва бліжэйшым часам[Racyja Radio Guest—scientist, climate activist, and visiting researcher at the Global Catastrophic Risks Institute—Siarhei Besarab. We spoke with him about the upcoming winter: what it will be like, how to prepare, and the climate changes humanity faces in the near future]
↑""Зялёная сетка" вызначыла лепшы кантэнт пра экалогію Беларусі"[Green Network Identifies the Best Environmental Content About Belarus: Celebrating Journalists and Bloggers Raising Awareness on Climate and Ecology]. Зелёный портал (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2025-06-29. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
↑TV, Belsat. ""Науку в Беларуси реформируют не нобелевские лауреаты, а люди в погонах": ученый о нападках Лукашенко на НАН"[Belarus’s Academic Reforms Led by Authorities, Not Academics]. ru.belsat.eu (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2025-08-06. Retrieved 2025-08-07. Мы спросили ученого, футуролога и научного правозащитника Сергея Бесараба, что происходит с беларусской наукой и можно ли говорить о ее развитии в нынешних условиях.[We asked Siarhei Besarab—a scientist, futurist, and prominent advocate for academic freedom—about the state of science in Belarus and whether meaningful progress is possible under the current circumstances.]
↑""Гусакоў генерыраваў крынж, Акадэмія навук хоць як прысутнічала ў інфапрасторы. Каранік жа абсалютна маркотны і выклікае толькі жаль""[From Absurdity to Irrelevance: Who Leads Science in Belarus?]. gazetaby.com (in Belarusian). Навуковец, публічны абаронца акадэмічных свабод, былы супрацоўнік Нацыянальнай Акадэміі навук — пра магчымасці беларускай навукі і крытыку з боку Лукашэнкі.[A scientist, public advocate for academic freedom, and former member of the National Academy of Sciences discusses the prospects for Belarusian science and responds to criticism from Lukashenko.]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
↑Свабода, Радыё (2025-11-10). "Беларускіх кантрабандных цыгарэт стала менш удвая, але цяпер яны спыняюць працу аэрапортаў. Як зьмянілася кантрабанда ў Літву"[How Cigarette Smuggling from Belarus to Lithuania Has Changed: Drones, Balloons, and Airport Disruptions]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2025-11-11. Retrieved 2025-11-11. Для беларускага навукоўца-хіміка і аналітыка тэхналёгіяў Сяргея Бесараба такія мэтэаралягічныя балёны — складнік ягонага хобі: папулярызацыі прыродазнаўчых навук і інжынэрыі.[For Belarusian scientist and technology analyst Siarhei Besarab, meteorological balloons are part of his hobby: promoting natural sciences and engineering]
↑"Што сабой уяўляюць тыя метэазонды, якія прылятаюць з Беларусі ў Літву? Расказвае Бесараб"[Smugglers' Weather Balloons: A Scientist Explains the Mystery Objects Flying from Belarus to Lithuania]. Наша Ніва (in Belarusian). 2025-10-29. Archived from the original on 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2025-10-31. Метэазонды з кантрабанднымі цыгарэтамі з Беларусі прывялі да таго, што Літва на месяц закрыла мяжу. Але што за яны? Распыталі навукоўца Сяргея Бесараба, аказалася, гэта яго ранейшае хобі.[Weather balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus recently forced Lithuania, a NATO member, to shut down its border for a month. But what exactly are these mysterious aircraft? To find out, we spoke with scientist Siarhei Besarab, who, it turns out, used to launch them as a hobby]
↑"Учёный указал на недостатки отчёта по хранилищу радиоактивных отходов в Беларуси | Новости Беларуси | euroradio.fm"[Scientist Highlights Deficiencies in Report on National Radioactive Waste Repository]. euroradio.fm (in Russian). 2026-07-04. Retrieved 2026-07-06. Радиационный химик Сергей Бесараб, известный своей критикой проектных уязвимостей БелАЭС и Национального пункта захоронения радиоактивных отходов, проанализировал материал и сформулировал как минимум 12 замечаний к содержанию отчёта.[Radiation chemist Siarhei Besarab, recognized for his critiques of engineering vulnerabilities in the BelNPP and the National Radioactive Waste Repository, analyzed the material and identified at least 12 specific deficiencies in the report's content.]
↑Свабода, Радыё (2025-11-20). "За час працы АЭС у Астраўцы электрычнасьць для людзей падаражэла на 36%. Навошта ўладам Беларусі другая атамная станцыя"[Belarus Plans to Build Second Nuclear Power Plant Despite Energy Price Increases]. Radio Liberty (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2025-11-20. Сяргей Бесараб, радыяцыйны хімік, навуковец, вядомы крытычным аналізам радыяцыйнай бясьпекі, заўважае, што пабудаваць трэці энэргаблёк цяперашняй АЭС хоць эканамічна нямэтазгодна, але ня вельмі складана. А вось будаўніцтва другой АЭС ён называе «вар'яцтвам»[Siarhei Besarab, a radiation chemist and scientist known for his critical analysis of radiation safety, notes that while building a third unit at the current nuclear power plant is economically questionable but not very difficult, he calls the construction of a second nuclear power plant "madness."]
↑Constanta, Human (2023-07-18). "Обзор борьбы с «экстремизмом» в Беларуси за апрель-июнь 2023"[Overview of Combating "Extremism" in Belarus (April–June 2023)]. Human Constanta (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-04-23. [In his papers, chemist Siarhei Besarab mostly steered clear of politics, but he did discuss the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant and spoke to independent media, which got him in trouble.]
↑Свабода, Радыё (2025-08-28). "109 "здраднікаў дзяржавы". За што беларусаў абвінавачваюць у адным з самых сур'ёзных злачынстваў"[Belarus Sees 'Explosion' in Treason Cases as Regime Cracks Down on Critics]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2025-08-28. Retrieved 2025-08-28. Менавіта пасьля 2020 году ў Беларусі рэзка вырасла колькасьць «здраднікаў дзяржаве». Гэта проста людзі, якія крытычна выказваюццца пра ўладу, і за гэта іх і перасьледуюць.[It's no coincidence that after 2020, we saw a massive spike in the number of 'traitors of the state' in Belarus. They are simply people who criticize the government, and they are being persecuted for exactly that.]
↑"Набыў у Менску радыяактыўныя пацеркі. Хімік расказвае, як засцерагчыся ад выпраменьвання дома"[A chemist explains how to keep yourself safe from radiation at home]. Зелёный портал (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-04-30. [Siarhei Besarab, a radiation chemist, scientific blogger, and former Academy of Sciences employee, now lives in the European Union. He's facing charges from Lukashenko's authorities that could lead to 25 years in prison]