Łukašenka furious at Belarusian volunteers fighting Russia in Ukraine

January 24, BPN. Some people who left Belarus “have toughened their position and are now betting on the use of force and the creation of illegal paramilitary units,” Alaksandr Łukašenka has told officials at a meeting on sociopolitical issues.

In particular, he referred to the Kastuś Kalinoŭski volunteer regiment fighting Russia in Ukraine as well as volunteers reportedly receiving basic combat training in Lithuania and Poland.

“In this case there is and there will be no way back,” his press office quoted him as saying.

Kyiv is trying to distance itself from the volunteers, Łukašenka said, noting that Belarusians receive training at the front line to “go to back to Belarus and overthrow the regime.” He claimed that many Belarusian volunteers were killed in action and many were seriously wounded.

“Who needs them today?” he said. “No one. President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelensky won’t wheel them around the hockey arena in a wheelchair . . . But it’s their choice. They should know that we will deal with them according to martial law.”

Belarusian volunteers formed the Kalinoŭski regiment in Ukraine in March 2022, initially as a battalion. Its stated mission is to liberate Belarus by defending Ukraine.

Belarusian investigators opened a criminal case against its members.

In November 2022, Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakoŭ said that authorities identified almost 160 Belarusians fighting in Ukraine.