Disappeared in pre-trial detention in a tax case, then found on the list of "extremists". What is known about Zhodino businessman Siarhei Pako

Siarhei Pako was born on January 30, 1975, in the city of machine builders — Zhodino. Already in the mid-90s, he tried his hand at business and registered as an individual entrepreneur.

But later, he closely linked his main activity with Russia. In 2005, Siarhei founded LLC "Promsnab" in Smolensk, Russia.

The company's business model was quite simple. The firm purchased various metal products in Belarus — flanges, forgings, and other parts — and then resold them to Russian enterprises. From open data, it is known that the main supplier for "Promsnab" (about 64% of all supplies) was the Zhodino Forging Plant of Heavy Stampings (KZTSH). Another approximately 16% of products came from the Baranovichi Machine Tool Plant, which is a branch of "Atlant".

Almost all of the enterprise's sales — 99.87% — went exclusively to the Russian market. The business was thriving.

But everything collapsed in mid-May 2024, when "Promsnab"'s transport was unexpectedly detained on the territory of Belarus. The Barysaw Interdistrict Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee initiated a criminal case against Siarhei Pako under an economic article — Part 3 of Article 243 of the Criminal Code (evasion of taxes). The owner of the profitable business himself was sent to pre-trial detention.

Павялічыць

Since Siarhei owned premises in his native Zhodino, the DFI considered it an unregistered "permanent representation" of the Russian firm in Belarus. Based on this fact, investigators included all of the company's revenue for 13 years into the Belarusian tax base. In October 2024, controllers issued a colossal bill: over 2.8 million Belarusian rubles in additional charges and penalties.

The company's lawyers tried to prove the complete absurdity of such claims. They referred to the 1995 intergovernmental agreement on avoiding double taxation, as the premises were used exclusively for purchases and, by law, could not be considered a representative office.

And in November 2024, investigators from the Russian Investigative Committee for the Smolensk region, together with the Belarusian DFI, conducted a search of "Promsnab"'s office. The firm's property was seized. Without its founder, the firm very quickly went bankrupt.

Soon, another person became the director, and financial indicators plummeted several times over. Already in 2025, net profit decreased from 73 million Russian rubles to 1.2 million.

After publications by lawyers in January 2025, nothing was heard about the businessman's fate for almost a year and a half. Only on July 6, 2026, did his surname surface in the updated lists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The verdict does not contain the tax article, but it is unclear whether Pako compensated for the damage, and therefore the article was dropped, or if the charges were simply reclassified, or if he was tried separately for taxes.

However, Siarhei Pako was convicted under a whole bouquet of political articles. The final verdict includes "inciting hatred" (Part 1, Art. 130), "calls to actions harming national security" (Part 3, Art. 361), and participation in protests (Part 1, Art. 342). An article for giving a bribe on a large scale (Part 3, Art. 431 of the Criminal Code) was also added.

For the corruption article alone, the minimum sentence is 5 years in a penal colony, and considering the political charges, the term must be much longer. Siarhei Pako has been recognized as a political prisoner.

• 0
• 1
• 0
• 4
• 0
• 2
• 6
• 0