On January 28, 2026, residents of the agro-town of Maliech in the Byaroza District bade farewell to Anatol Sakharusha — a well-known agronomist, public and political figure. He was 75 years old. For local residents, he remained a person who always fought for the interests of his community, was not afraid to raise urgent issues, and even published his own small newspaper, writes the publication pinsk.life.
Anatol Sakharusha
Anatol Sakharusha was born in 1950 and received an agronomist's education. Even from his youth, he was drawn to independent information: in Soviet times, he saw how older people secretly listened to foreign radio stations. While studying at the Pruzhany Agricultural College, he himself began listening to broadcasts for Belarusians from abroad.
In 1968, when Soviet troops entered Prague, Sakharusha dared to ask an uncomfortable question to his lecturer. The latter reported this to the administration, as a result of which the young man's radio receiver was confiscated, and his parents were subjected to a 're-educational' conversation. He was not expelled, but after that, as he himself recalled, he was closely monitored, and some were forced to inform on him.
Upon returning from the army, Sakharusha worked in an exemplary state farm in Maliech, managing a section. He often argued with the management, defending his views on agronomy, for which he earned the nickname 'Ruff'. Later, he completed agricultural academy extramurally, but never joined the Communist Party.
During Perestroika, Anatol Sakharusha became one of the founders of the Belarusian Popular Front. He worked in Zianon Pazniak's team during the first presidential elections, was a member of the Sejm of the BPF Party in the 2000s, and participated in various political campaigns. He was well-known not only in the district but also at the regional level.
Anatol Sakharusha in 2015
During the 2010 elections, Konstantin Sumar, chairman of the regional executive committee and Lukashenka's authorized representative, visited Maliech. Sakharusha, at that time representing the BPF candidate Ryhor Kastusiou, took advantage of the situation and publicly campaigned for his candidate right during this visit.
Anatol Sakharusha was a convinced revivalist, consistently used the Belarusian language, and published a small Belarusian-language newspaper 'Krynitsa' in Maliech.
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