40 days ago Belarusian-born Mikhail Zhyzneuski, 26, was shot dead on Maidan. Kyiv might have paid the last tribute to its hero but Belarus was burying him in the darkness, under the supervision of plainclothed policemen. And even on the day of commemoration police were digging deep for any policy points.
Zhyzneuski’s favourite song, Hey Plynie Kacha, in which a son asks his mother to forgive him because he was killed in a strange land, became prophetic for him. This song were performed during funerals of the dead in clashes. When a Belarusian-born was killed for the freedom of Ukraine, even Maidan health workers couldn’t help crying.
English, Polish subs:
{movie}In Focus, 03.03.14: Police give no peace to family of Belarusian killed on Maidan (ENG subs)|right|15138{/movie}
OLEG MUSIY, health worker:
‘I want to say thanks to Belarusian activists, Belarusian people who brought up such worthy son who defended Ukraine.’
On Maidan Zhyzneuski was among self-defenders. It is known that he tried to stop provocations against internal troops. In Kyiv tens of thousands came to say their last goodbye to him. But in Belarus plainclothed persons were keeping an eye on the funeral. Even now, on the commemorative day, police haven’t left Mikhail’s relatives to themselves.
NATALLIA ZHYZNEUSKAYA, sister:
‘Yesterday we were informed that policemen were going round all the canteens trying to identify the place where we would be organising a commemorative dinner. As if it were a political case. I can’t realise – it’s just a commemorative dinner on the fourth day after Misha’s death, why should it be a political case?’
Having seen the visitation in Kyiv Mikhail’s father is still in shock at the Belarusian auhorities’ attitude. UNA-UNSD, a radical Ukrainian party, is pressing for recognising his son a hero of Ukraine.
MIKHAIL ZHYZNEUSKI, father:
‘His friends were carrying the coffin all the way from the church to Maidan. They might have been tired but refused to be replaced. Everyone were honoured to to it’
The first deaths on Maidan did not stop the bloodshed: the standoff on February 18-20 took the lives of over eighty persons.
Usevalad Shlykau, www.belsat.eu/en
