Belarusians In Ukraine Ready To Create Military Formation

There are thousands of Belarusian patriots in the country.

Thousands of Belarusians fled to Ukraine from political repression after the events of 2020. Are they ready to defend their host country in the event of a Russian military invasion?

“In the event of war, I and many other Belarusians are ready to defend the sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine, because the freedom of Belarus depends on Ukraine, among other things. And Belarus will be free, it is destined for it. And this time is coming, we will definitely win," the world and European champion in Thai boxing and kickboxing Vital Hurkou, who now lives and works in Kyiv, made such an appeal to everyone "whom in Russia and Belarus they are preparing for a war in Ukraine", reports dw.com.

Already today, some Belarusians are learning civil defense skills and discussing the possibilities for resistance in the event of a Russian attack.

Are Belarusians in Ukraine ready to create a military formation?

The possibilities of participation of Belarusians in the armed resistance are discussed in Belarusian publics on social networks: "Maybe it makes sense to think about the creation of military formations of Belarusians in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine?", "Voluntary battalions, the Right Sector have not been invented today, they are acting alright, those who want just go and protect", "Start appealing en masse to join territorial self-defense, perhaps, with a serious request, the Ukrainians will allow setting up a Belarusian battalion."

The desire of the Belarusians living in Ukraine to create a military formation to resist Russian aggression on the air of the Polish TV channel Belsat was also voiced by Major General of the SBU reserve Viktor Yahun.

"If the units really controlled by the dictator of Belarus try to enter the territory of Ukraine, I think that it will be a great surprise for him that patriots of Belarus, who are already raising the issue of creating units of the Belarusian liberation army, will appear opposite his units. And it will be a very interesting fact, when this regime collapses not because it did something wrong somewhere on its territory, but because it took a rash step by entering Ukraine," the major general said.

"A Young Fighter Course" for Belarusians in Ukraine

Meanwhile, some Belarusians are already being trained in the basics of civil defense as part of the Total Opir (Total Resistance) initiative, organized in Ukrainian cities by the nationalist Azov Movement. Here you can get knowledge about the provision of medical care, tactics of actions in urban areas, in the forest, skills in handling certain types of weapons. Among the instructors there are Belarusian volunteers who fought in the Donbas. One of them is Yan Melnikau, who has been participating in hostilities since 2014.

"Anyone can come to the exercises. Basically, they are for civilians who have never faced a war before. Representatives of the Belarusian diaspora in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro were also trained," says Yan.

Also, according to Melnikau, the instructors developed a special "Young Fighter Course" for a group of Belarusians who are ready for armed resistance in the event of a full-scale invasion by Russia. These are mainly young activists who fled Belarus after the events of 2020.

DW's interlocutor notes that the Belarusians who traveled to Ukraine in 2014 understood that Russia is the country thanks to which Lukashenka stays in power. Those who have been here in the last year and a half have the same understanding.

Former policeman from Minsk serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

"In the fall of 2020, I was forced to leave Belarus, I chose Ukraine, because this country is fighting with Russia, and therefore, indirectly, with what is happening in Belarus, as Putin sponsors Lukashenka," says Belarusian Miraslau (the name has been changed — edit.).

Until September 2020, he worked in the patrol service of the Frunzenski district police department of Minsk. "I saw everything that happened inside the Ministry of Internal Affairs on August 9-11. Then there was an understanding that I was on the wrong side and, in order not to commit a crime, I had to dodge, refuse to do some work. At first, it was still possible. I left the police when I realized that nothing depended on my non-participation in something. I gave in my certificate and notified them that I would not go to work," recalls the former policeman.

After some time, Miraslau found out that it was not safe for him to stay in Belarus, he moved to Ukraine and began serving in the Armed Forces. "I went with the idea of getting into the Armed Forces or some structure in which I can continue your career and at the same time defend ideas that are close to me," says Miraslau. He also notes that many Belarusians who ended up in Ukraine due to political repressions in their homeland, in the event of a Russian invasion, are ready to participate in the defense of Ukraine, if not with weapons in their hands, then in some other way.