Yury Bereza, commander of battalion ‘Dnieper’, who has become a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, tells Belsat TV about changes the Verkhovna Rada is facing and mentions Belarusians who are fighting for Ukraine in Donbas.
In fact, the Verkhovna Rada has not got in its full swing yet. Unfortunately, the way of its functioning still remains unaffected. I hope we do our best so that it could start working under new rules. It is crucial because people who sent us here rely on us and first and foremost expect this parliament to be working for the state’s good. Because the war is in progress in the east. It is deadly and ruthless. Russia is an aggressor and this fact prevents us from stopping this parliament’s work. But if we fail to set new rules of the game in the nearest time, this Verkhovna Rada might not endure long as well.
Is it true that battalion commanders are set to form a deputy group ‘Ukrop’? [Ukrop – Ukrainian and Russian for ‘dill’, a nickname given to Ukrainians by Russians – Belsat]
We are goung to found an inter-fractional group which is to unite not only battalion commanders, but practically all participants of the antiterrorist operation, all people who has gone through the war in the East and [protests on] Maidan, all those who got the smell of powder and realise what is actually going on in the east of Ukraine.
And what is going on there now? Do you keep in touch with your associates?
Regiment ‘Dnieper’ has been taking part in action since April. Two squadrons are on the frontline now – at Donetsk airport, in Piski, on the line Piski-Mariupol. Its members are present at most checkpoints. I am not just in touch: every morning and every evening I am fully apprised of what is happening. It is very hard to be there. After Russia brought another part of the so called humanitarian convoy [into Ukraine] shootings have bacome more intense again. To be honest, they have become unbearable.
There are citizens of Belarus in your battalion. What is your attitude to the President’s initiative to grant Ukraine’s citizenship to the foreigners who are defending Ukraine in the east now?
There are over 10 Belarusians in regiment ‘Dnieper’, they are fighting bravely. I support the presidential initiative. This should have become a law long time ago, and Mr President should have given the first priority to it. He is losing the initiative, and it is a shame he failed to do it soon after he had been elected president because the first person killed for Maidan, for Ukraine was Belarusian [Mikhail Zhyzneuski – Belsat]. The initiative was also well received by our fighters from Belarus. The are fighting for this state and have the right to become its citizens.
Alena Litvinava, Belsat, Kyiv
