Donbas: Georgian volunteer asks Lukashenka to leave Belarusian fighters for Ukraine in peace


Belarusians who are fighting in Ukraine against pro-Russian separatists may end up in the KGB prison if they return to their native country. In an exclusive Belsat video Georgian volunteer (nom-de-guerre Dobermann) addressed to president Aliaksandr Lukashenka and asked him to stop persecution of Belarusians who help Ukrainians defend their land.

‘Shameful’

“I was lucky to fight with Belarusians. I respect them, they are good soldiers and real patriots. Many have already come back to Belarus, and, according to our information, most are in the hands of the State Security Committee … of the Byelorussian SSR, I can’t put it another way. I want to address to Mr Lukashenka: I don’t know who are fighting on the other side. I consider them as the same Belarusians who went wrong. Our people are fighting for their ideals and principles, for freedom and democracy. The other side is fighting for some ‘Russian world’ which is closely associated with mortars and BM-21 launch vehicles. The measures taken by the KGB against Belarusians who are fighting for Ukraine are shameful,” he said.

KGB never sleeps

The participation of Belarusians in the hostilities in Ukraine on any side of the conflict is criminally liable, Chairman of the State Security Committee (KGB) of Belarus Valery Vakulchyk said in October, 2014.

“Naturally, there is responsibility for mercenarism. It does not matter on which side these Belarusians fight. These matters are regulated by our laws. A decision will be made if such incidents are revealed and proved,” the KGB chief told state-owned news agency BelTA

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Only one case of persecuting a person who allegedly participated in military actions in Donbas went public: Zmitser Paloyka, a resident of the Belarusian city of Baranavichy, was arrested when he was going on a train to Belarus. The only reason for detention was his name on ‘the battalion ‘Donbas’ list published by separatists on the Internet.

After questioning Zmitser, formally sentenced for using bad language in public, spent 10 days in a predetention centre. In fact, this arrest was used by the KGS as pretext for further questioning Mr Paloyka – chekists visited the detainee every day. Then the man was released but restricted to Belarus.

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Ukraine’s citizenship: No exception for foreign fighters for Ukraine

It is hard to get any accurate information on the number of Belarusians fighters in volunteer battalions who are seeking to change allegiance. In such cases foreign citizens are to file applications in the State Migration Board, the press service of the Administration of Ukraine’s President told Belsat TV.

According to the migration law, a person may become a citizen of Ukraine if they are of Ukrainian descent, seek reunification with family or have merits to the Ukrainian state. Moreover, a foreign citizen must renounce the previous citizenship and prove they have stayed in the country for at least 5 years.

There have been no exceptions yet. But Ukrainian MPs and battallion commanders are trying to draw the authorities attention to the need of simplification of procedure of granting citizenship to the foreigners who are risking their lives for the sake of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Proposals to the parliament

Ukrainian politician Oleg Liashko was the first to address the needs of foreign soldiers. This week he has registered the appropriate draft law in the Verkhovna Rada.

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According to the proposal, the facts of a foreigner’s taking part in the counterterrorist operation or their subjected to persecution for pro-Ukrainian views in their country of residence may give ground for applying for the citizenship of Ukraine. Such applications should be under procession up to two months.

“Amidst military aggression a lot of Ukrainians have made a stand for their Motherland. And along with them, foreign citizens have also come to defend Ukraine joining volunteer battalions and guerrilla groups, which results in their being pressurised in the territories of their states. A lot of them have a feeling they are Ukrainians; and they are striving for becoming virtual citizens of Ukraine,” Liashko commented on his initiative.

But the draft law has not even been before the Rada yet.

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How many Belarusians are fighting against Russian militants in Donbas? Dozens? Hundreds?

Belarusians do not form a special unit and do not reveal their identity as they are afraid for their families and relatives. Each of us is aware of [the names of] the Belarusians fighting in their battalion – and we do not want to know more. Sometimes we do not know their real surnames, we do not need them! But every battalion has at least one or two Belarusians,” Yauhen Dziki, a company commander at battalion ‘Aydar’ told Belsat TV.

MP Yury Beryoza, the former commander of regiment ‘Dnieper’ is sure that Belarusian fighters for Ukraine’s freedom have the right to be admitted to citizenship. According to Beryoza, there are over 10 Belarusians in the regiment, and ‘they are good soldiers’.

In 2014 Belarusian unit Pahonia was founded; our compatriots are in the ranks of battalions ‘Donbas’ and ‘Azov’.

“We consider themselves as patriots of Belarus, but in the face of Russian aggression, we have come to help the Ukrainian people. We have no doubt that Ukraine will win and then we will be in for fighting for an independent Belarus,” they say.

Perhaps that is why the KGB officers are hunting for them in Belarus.

Zmitser Yahorau, Alena Litvinava

www.belsat.eu/en

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