November 23, Pozirk. Nearly 100 Belarusian volunteer fighters were killed in action defending Ukraine from Russia, Śviatłana Šacilina, who represents the Belarusian pro-democracy forces in Ukraine, has told KyivFM.
“We are well aware that without a free, democratic and independent Ukraine, a free, democratic, pro-European Belarus is impossible,” the opposition’s transition cabinet quoted her as saying. Belarusians volunteer to defend Ukraine because they believe in this, she added.
If a Belarusian goes to fight for Ukraine, he is automatically sentenced as a terrorist and may even face the death penalty in Belarus, she said, adding that the families also come under pressure from the Committee for State Security (KGB).
Belarus has been supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine since February 2022. Minsk prosecutes volunteers who fight alongside Ukrainian forces, but has not prosecuted a single man who joined Russian forces.
