Brother of Belarusian volunteer fighting Russia in Ukraine on trial in Minsk

June 27, Pozirk. The trial of Maksim Urbanovič, whose brother Dzianis Urbanovič is currently fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russians, has opened in the Zavadski District Court of Minsk, Belsat reported.

One of the charges against him is violent disorder, routinely used against regime critics in Belarus after the 2020 postelection protests. Other charges remain unknown.

Police arrested Maksim Urbanovič in early April and searched and sealed the apartment, where he lived with his girlfriend.

Last spring, Maksim was jailed for 10 days on charges of petty hooliganism. Reports said that he was severely beaten by the Committee for State Security (KGB) agents.

He reportedly has not been in contact with his brother Dzianis, a member of the Belarusian Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment (KKR), for at least two years.

Dzianis Urbanovič was a leader of the Małady Front opposition movement that promoted patriotism among Belarusian youths. In August 2022, the law enforcement agencies branded it an extremist group.

In late 2021, Dzianis fled to Ukraine to join the KKR following his persecution in Belarus over the 2020 postelection protests. He was wounded two years ago.

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