They have been at war with Russian militants in Donbas from the very beginning of the conflict. They beat the enemy and themselves sustain casualties. These Belarusians say they are fighting not only for the free Ukraine, but also for the future independent Belarus. Our compatriots serve in various Ukrainian volunteer battalions. But almost every one of them has a common enemy, which cannot be defeated with weapons. It is here, in the building of the State Migration Service. It is an old traditional Ukrainian bureaucracy.
“DOC”, tactical group Belarus, Right Sector battalion:
“Almost all the volunteers from different countries experience the rough attitude of the state structures. In other words, you come to their office and you enter the room being the last one in line. Then immediately begin attempts not to accept the documents on the first day.”
The bureaucratic tricks end in the refusal to accept the documents. That is why a lot of volunteers still cannot get not only the Ukrainian citizenship, but even a legal status. There are also exceptions to the bad rule: last year, Petro Poroshenko handed the Ukrainian passport to Syarhei Karotkikh, a Belarusian fighter from the battalion Azov.
Sergei Gunko, the State Migration Service of Ukraine:
“If a person does deserve well of Ukraine, then the commander of the battalion or the Minister of the Interior or the Minister of Defence, to which the battalion is subordinated, can initiate and file a request. Accordingly, we will issue documents – on migration or for citizenship. There are no problems.”
Officials put it very nice, but the reality is quite different. Zmitser has been living in Ukraine for 9 years, he is married to a Ukrainian woman, he fought in the Donbas battalion and was wounded for Ukraine. But he never got a passport with a trident.
Zmitser, Belarusian volunteer, Donbas battalion:
“I sent the request to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, with whom we personally communicated the whole last summer, and at my request, he just forwarded it to the migration service.”
And the migration service officials want the volunteer soldier to go to Belarus to change the passport and receive a certificate confirming he has no criminal record. At the same time, his relatives had already been summoned for questioning in Belarus. Head of the KGB, Mr Vakulchik, also said that there are Belarusians in Donbas fighting as mercenaries, and at home they will be held criminally responsible.
Valery Vakulchyk, Head of KGB:
“Then they will come here, with experience of killing people. We must think about this problem, solve it.”
At the moment, though, most foreign volunteers are facing deportation. Fighting for Ukraine, they exceeded the legal period – 90 days, when they could apply for citizenship, residency or asylum. Belarusian fighter of the Right Sector with the call sign “Doc” took the last resort measure – he appealed to the migration service for asylum as a fugitive. And he will seek the legalization in a non-violent way – in court.
“DOC”, tactical group Belarus, Right Sector battalion:
“I took this step to pave the way and, perhaps, help those who have huge problems with the documents – had their passport burned in the fighting, or stolen, or the person is to be deported.”
“Doc” says that these officials are simply used to working in the old way, just like for Yanukovych. But the situation with Belarusian volunteers is attracting more and more attention to the actions of the Migration Service. And it can end up in big changes.
Yaraslau Stseshyk
