Although President Alexander Lukashenko sided with Russia in the war in Ukraine, many Belarusians see no reason to fight against a brother nation. Some of them even followed the call of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and want to fight against the Russian troops voluntarily. With a victory over Russia, they also want to herald the end of Lukashenko’s rule in their country.
According to media reports, hundreds of Belarusians have already followed Zelenskyj’s call and are supporting Ukraine’s territorial defense along with numerous other foreign fighters. Everyone knows the risk. Because a lot of men have already died as a result. But for Vadim Prokopiev, a 50-year-old businessman from Minsk, “the journey begins in Ukraine”. At the end of the journey, there should be not only a “liberated Ukraine”, but also a Belarus without Lukashenko, as the volunteer explained to the American broadcaster ABC News. The 50-year-old is currently training with some other compatriots near the Polish capital Warsaw.
Many of the comrades fled Belarus for fear of repression or arrest and took refuge in neighboring Poland. “When the war in Ukraine is over, our struggle will only begin. It is impossible to liberate Belarus until Putin’s fascist forces are expelled from Ukraine,” Prokopiev said. He leads a unit called “Pahonia”, which is mainly dedicated to training more volunteers. The AP news agency visited the combat training ground where international fighters are being prepared. However, many interviewees could not be found. According to the information, most of the men did not want to say anything for security reasons.
Investigations against ‘crazy Belarusians’
The concerns are justified, after all, Lukashenko’s regime has described mercenaries in the service of Ukraine as “crazy Belarusians” and launched an investigation against them. Still, 19-year-old Ales was brave enough to speak out about his motives. He escaped from the Belarusian secret service KGB. He held him captive for a while, forcing him to betray other opposition members or volunteers. Otherwise, he risks a long prison term, Ales reveals.
Protesters and “terrorists”
It was only a few days ago that it became known that the use of the death penalty in Belarus is apparently being extended. In the future, it could be imposed for attempted terrorism, Russian news agencies reported last week. Lukashenko, who has been criticized as the “last dictator in Europe”, has repeatedly described people who have protested his allegedly faked reelection since 2020 as “terrorists”. Many Belarusian volunteers in Poland and Ukraine have also participated in demonstrations and can therefore be considered “terrorists”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
