A presidential decree by Alexander Lukashenko authorized the construction of the National Security Academy (ANB) of the Belarusian KGB on the site of former Catholic cemeteries in the center of Minsk, specifically at the historic Zalataya Gorka area. The construction breaches several Belarusian laws protecting historical and cultural heritage sites and burial grounds, including bans on capital construction in such zones. The project and its details were kept secret without public consultation. The new complex is a large six-story multifunctional building intended to host a significantly larger number of cadets than previously publicly stated. Preparations include excavation works violating protective zones for the old cemeteries, with plans to lay new engineering communications. The ANB is a closed higher education institution training state security personnel, including intelligence and counterintelligence officers, and is a continuation of Soviet-era KGB educational institutions. The academy's leadership is involved in shaping official historical policy under Lukashenko's administration. This project erases a historic burial site dating back to the 18th century which contained thousands of burials, including clergy and notable city residents. The construction disregards recommendations from the Ministry of Culture and violates laws on burial site protection. Officials confirmed that the project proceeds under a presidential order, bypassing established protective regulations. Satellite imagery from August 2026 shows the new construction boundaries overlapping with protected cemetery zones.

A presidential decree by Alexander Lukashenko authorized the construction of the National Security Academy (ANB) of the Belarusian KGB on the site of former Catholic cemeteries in the center of Minsk, specifically at the historic Zalataya Gorka area. The construction breaches several Belarusian laws protecting historical and cultural heritage sites and burial grounds, including bans on capital construction in such zones. The project and its details were kept secret without public consultation. The new complex is a large six-story multifunctional building intended to host a significantly larger number of cadets than previously publicly stated. Preparations include excavation works violating protective zones for the old cemeteries, with plans to lay new engineering communications. The ANB is a closed higher education institution training state security personnel, including intelligence and counterintelligence officers, and is a continuation of Soviet-era KGB educational institutions. The academy's leadership is involved in shaping official historical policy under Lukashenko's administration. This project erases a historic burial site dating back to the 18th century which contained thousands of burials, including clergy and notable city residents. The construction disregards recommendations from the Ministry of Culture and violates laws on burial site protection. Officials confirmed that the project proceeds under a presidential order, bypassing established protective regulations. Satellite imagery from August 2026 shows the new construction boundaries overlapping with protected cemetery zones.