Kanavalau’s mother: I will not talk to anyone

- Who are you?

- A Euroradio journalist.

- I will not talk to anyone, just leave. You can leave, Lyudmila Kanavalva’s voice resembled that of judge. The mother of the man executed for terrorism works in a kindergarten. She arrives at work at 8 a.m. She used to be accompanied by guards and you could not approach her. There are no guards now but she won’t talk to you anyway.

Kanavalau’s father refused to talk too. He opened the door and closed it on me as soon as he found out who it was.

There are no guards near Kanavalau’s house anymore. A neighbour was more talkative.

"The so-called guards left after the boys had been killed. I wondered whether it was some kind of open shadowing. Open shadowing exercises pressure on your mind. You can ignore shadowing when it is not so evident. They said that it was both open and secret shadowing.”

A police car used to be parked near the house and sometimes policemen got out of it. Kanavalau’s parents were accompanied by policemen even when they needed to walk the dog.

"They drove them to the shop,” the neighbour confirmed. He talked to some of the guards and gave them a light from time to time.

"I talked to them out of my window in summer. I was listening to classical music. And they asked if I had anything more amusing. I downloaded them the song “The guards wake up early” and they seemed to like it. One of them recorded it on his phone.”

The guards arrived in the morning and left in the evening, the neighbour said. If they came on foot and it was raining, they asked to let them enter.

"They complained about low wages, I told them what my pension was. I cold not understand whether they were armed or not. One of them changed his clothes near the bench and then I saw that his holster was not empty.” 

It is very quiet in Kanavalaus’ flat. The elder son has left and does not visit his parents much, neighbours say. The parents do not communicate with anyone.

"I say hello when I come across them. Bu we can only discuss the weather or they can ask why my dog is lame. They will not talk to journalists. I cannot introduce you because I am not on close terms with them.”

The entrance to the basement where Kanavalau made the blasting assembly is near the house. The neighbour recalled what happed there after the trial:

"Oh, oh! They cleaned all the basements and changed the numbers thrice.”

They also removed the lamps installed by people. Now it is dark there.

We descended there. Kanavalau’s shed is at the back. It is wooden and... tiny. There is nothing inside but for a small table.

Kanavalau made the blasting assembly for Minsk metro here, near pots and jars, unnoticed by his parents and neighbours.

Lyudmila Kanavalava is going to work

The doors and walls in the sheds are made of wood

Kanavalau’s shed is so tiny that it is difficult to photograph it

The numbers were changed several times

Lyudmila Kanavalava’s kindergarten