Belarusian association registers in Ukraine to back volunteer fighters, diaspora

November 21, BPN. The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice has registered the Pahonia public association. Its founders are Belarusians permanently residing in Ukraine, as well as soldiers of Ukraine’s Belarusian regiment Pahonia (Pohonia). A multiple world champion in Muay Thai kickboxing, Vital Hurkoŭ, has been appointed the association’s director.

“The goal of creating the Pahonia public association is to support the Belarusian volunteer movement in Ukraine, as well as to consolidate the Belarusian diaspora to liberate Ukraine and Belarus from Russian occupiers and łukašenka’s (sic) criminal dictatorship,” the Pahonia regiment said.

It added that the association will soon publish a membership procedure and send greetings to partners.

Hurkoŭ is a member of the Free Association of Belarusian Athletes, which operates abroad. In October, it recorded an appeal urging the Belarusian army not to participate in Russia’s war against Ukraine.