— Ruslan Nikolaevich, was your professional choice accidental or conscious?
— As a child, when I was about 10 years old, during the summer holidays my father took me to work with him. He was the foreman of the electrical network repair team. At that time, wooden supports were replaced en masse with reinforced concrete ones. It was interesting for me to watch this process. By the way, my mother also worked in the energy sector. Between them and their father, they have a total work experience of more than 65 years. And I continued the dynasty, making my professional choice consciously.
The fact is that my thinking is engineering (although at school I also liked the humanities). I even had such a dream: I wanted to engage in technical adjustment of rockets launched from the Baikonur station. But this wish did not come true, because in 1997, when I graduated from school, we did not have the opportunity to study in Russia.
And, by the way, my professional choice determined my personal happiness. After studying, I gave lectures to students at the Buda-Koshelevsky State Agricultural and Technical College on the repair and operation of electrical equipment. I met my future wife in college.
— What is important for a good engineer, besides a natural inclination towards this profession?
— When I was a manager and hired specialists, I asked literally two questions during the interview. First: when you solve a math problem, what do you experience? Personally, for me it’s euphoria, satisfaction from an achieved goal. There must be an interest in solving the problem. The second thing I asked was the topic of the thesis project. If a person loves his profession, naturally, he sees the result of his activities in specific design work that he does independently and which he understands.
In other words, if a person does not fully master the issue, he does not have curiosity, initiative and determination, it means that he will be “pushable”, he will constantly need to be pushed and spurred on.
This applies not only to employees who ensure our technological sovereignty, but probably also to representatives of other professions.
— What are the advantages and disadvantages that an engineering mindset gives you already in your parliamentary activities?
– I’ll give you an example. There is a potter. Using his hands and clay, he creates masterpieces. This is such a practical activity when the mind must cope with the hands – and the result is obtained. At the same time, there is a poet. He is endowed with the gift of words, space of thought, and loves to communicate. And, in my opinion, there is precisely “an element of the poet” in parliamentary work. As an engineer, it can be difficult for me. We have to develop communication skills.
At the same time, my knowledge and experience allow me to solve the pressing problems of voters. Why? I just don’t have such an approach to the problem that it is impossible. I am used to dividing a problem into stages, algorithms and solving it.
Many believe that the main activity of deputies is legislative. But the point is that we are chosen by the people and called upon to help them. That’s why people come to us all the time. Yes, we do not always have the necessary resources, but we must try to resolve the issue based on interaction with those who have them. And this “engineering architecture” inside me does not allow me to lose heart in difficult situations. Step by step I come to the result. And I enjoy solving the problem.
The gratitude of a person for help is worth a lot.
— What advice from your parents guides you in your work and life?
– Eliminate indifference. My father always told me: if you do a job, do it well. If you know it won’t work, don’t start. Always evaluate your strengths.
My father always fulfilled his obligations. That’s always the case. He taught: if you promise, you must keep it. I tell my children about this, I teach them by personal example: “You see, I promised you – I did it, do the same.” This inspires respect and encourages responsibility.
House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus
date: 2026-02-08 17:28:00
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