Pahonia Regiment

Last updated
Pahonia Regiment
Білоруський полк «Погоня»
Biloruśký polk "Pohoňa"

Беларускі полк «Пагоня»
Biełaruski połk "Pahonia"
Emblem of the Pahonia Regiment.svg
Pahonia regiment chevron
Active30 March 2022 - 1 July 2023
CountryFlag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine
BranchTerritorial Defence Forces branch SSI.svg Territorial Defense Forces
Type Foreign volunteer regiment
RoleTerritorial defence
SizeUnknown
Part of International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine
Engagements
Website Official Telegram channel

The Pahonia Regiment [lower-alpha 1] was a group of Belarusian opposition volunteers, which was formed to defend Ukraine against the 2022 Russian invasion.

Contents

In July 2023, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the Pahonia Regiment ceased to exist. [1]

History

On March 30, 2022, political activist Vadzim Prakopieu announced the beginning of the formation of the Belarusian Pahonia Regiment as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine. [2] On March 31, 2022, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the unit's formation via social media. [3]

The regiment was created on the initiative of Belarusian officers, many of whom had served already in the Pahonia detachment during the War in Donbas (2014–2022). Its recruiting center is located in Warsaw. [2]

In June 2022, it became known that the first group of fighters of the Pahonia Regiment signed contracts with the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine. [4] In the same month, "Pahonia" became known as "special purpose regiment". [5] The regiment's fighters are trained by American Matthew Parker, one of the instructors of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine. [6]

On September 14, 2022, Vadzim Prakopieu, one of the founders of the regiment and assistant commander, left the regiment. [7]

In October 25, 2022, it became known that the air reconnaissance team of the Pursuit Regiment had transferred to the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, another unit of Belarusian volunteers fighting for Ukraine. [8]

On October 28, 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus recognized the Pahonia Regiment as an "extremist formation". [9] They are among the list of 625 persons to be deemed as extremists. [10]

In November 2022, fighters of the Pahonia Regiment, together with Belarusians permanently living in Ukraine, founded the public association "Pahonia". Kickboxer Vitaly Gurkov became its director. [11]

In November 2022, the European Parliament adopted a resolution expressing its support for the Pahonia Regiment. [12]

In July 2023, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the Pahonia Regiment ceased to exist. [1]

Losses

On September 26, 2022, in the Battle of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, Alyaksei Veshchavaylau, a fighter of the Pahonia Regiment was killed. [13] [14]

Notes

  1. Ukrainian: Білоруський полк «Погоня», romanized: Biloruśký polk "Pohoňa", Belarusian: Беларускі полк «Пагоня», romanized: Biełaruski połk "Pahonia".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belarusian State University</span> University in Minsk, Belarus

Belarusian State University (BSU) is a university in Minsk, Belarus. It was founded on October 30, 1921. In 2023 the university was ranked the number 387 university in the world in the QS World University Rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belarusian Popular Front</span> Belarusian sociopolitical movement

The Belarusian Popular Front "Revival" was a social and political movement in Belarus in the late 1980s and 1990s whose goals were national revival of Belarus, its democratization and independence from the Soviet Union. Its leader was Zianon Pazniak. It was similar to the Popular Fronts of Latvia and Estonia, and the Sąjūdis movement in Lithuania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maksim Bahdanovič</span> Belarusian writer

Maksim Adamavich Bahdanovich was a Belarusian poet, journalist, translator, literary critic and historian of literature. He is considered one of the founders of the modern Belarusian literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franak Viačorka</span> Belarusian politician (born 1988)

Francišak Valancinavič (Franak) Viačorka (Viacorka) is a politician and journalist from Belarus, President of the Digital Communication Network and non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alhierd Bacharevič</span> Belarusian writer and translator (born 1975)

Oleg Ivanovich "Alhierd" Bakharevich is a Belarusian writer and translator . In 1997 he graduated from the Philological Faculty of the Belarusian Pedagogical University in Minsk. Afterward, Bacharevič worked as a teacher of Belarusian and then as a journalist. His first texts were published in 1993. In the 1990s, he was one of the founders of the Belarusian literary and artistic avantgarde group Bum-Bam-Lit. In 1998, this group published the now cult anthology of their poetry, namely, Tazik biełaruski. At that time Bacharevič married Ksienija Brečka. They have one daughter, Uljana (Ульяна). Between 2007 and 2013, Bacharevič lived in Hamburg, Germany. In 2013, he returned to Minsk and married the Belarusian translator and poet, Julia Cimafiejeva. They lived in the Belarusian capital and cooperated in the field of Belarusian literature and culture, until the Belarusian White Revolution of Dignity in 2020–2021. Subsequently, in order to avoid arbitrary imprisonment and torture, the couple of authors chose emigration and left for Austria.

Belarusians in Ukraine are the third biggest minority after Russians. Unlike many other ethnic groups, Belarusians do not have any particular concentration in the country, but spread out relatively evenly across all regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anton Luckievich</span> Belarusian politician

Anton Ivanavič Luckievič was a leading figure of the Belarusian independence movement in the early 20th century, an initiator of the proclamation of the independence of Belarus, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Belarusian Democratic Republic persecuted by the Soviet authorities. He was a brother of Ivan Luckievič.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jauhien Kulik</span>

Jauhien Kulik was a Belarusian artist and graphic designer. He is the designer of the 1991-1995 Coat of Arms of Belarus, which was a version of the medieval symbol Pahonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aliaksandr Tsyrkunov</span> Belarusian artist


Aliaksandr Tsyrkunov, is a Belarusian artist, painter and sculptor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanna Kanapatskaya</span> Belarusian politician, lawyer and entrepreneur

Hanna Anatolyeuna Kanapatskaya or Anna Anatolyevna Kanopatskaya is a Belarusian politician, former MP, lawyer, entrepreneur and candidate in the 2020 Belarusian presidential election. She is also a former parliamentary deputy, represented the United Civic Party of Belarus from 1995 to 2019 and served as an MP from 2016 to 2019. She is known for her political campaign on calling Belarus to be freed from Russian interference.

Mikola Dziadok is a Belarusian journalist, anarchist activist, blogger, and political prisoner. He was released in 2015 and became in involved in the 2020 Belarusian protests. He was arrested by authorities and is currently again a political prisoner. On November 10, 2021, Dziadok was sentenced to five years in a general-security penal colony and is held in Prison Number 8.

Ihar Alyaksandravich Losik is a Belarusian blogger and consultant of the Belarusian section of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Since June 25, 2020 he has been held in prison by Belarusian authorities. Viasna Human Rights Centre and Amnesty International recognize him as a political prisoner.

Aliaksandr (Saša) Vasilievič is a Belarusian businessman, gallerist, publisher, opposition activist, and a former political prisoner.

Anatol Tsitou was a Belarusian historian and heraldist, known for his research of Belarusian heraldry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tactical group "Belarus"</span> Military unit

Tactical Group "Belarus" is a group of volunteers from Belarus who were involved in the Donbas war. They fought on the side of Ukraine, first as part of the Right Sector Ukrainian Volunteer Corps, and later as part of various formations of the Ukrainian volunteer battalions and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belarusian involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine</span>

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has supported its eastern neighbour in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before the start of the offensive, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to perform weeks-long military drills on its territory; however, the Russian troops did not exit the country after they were supposed to finish. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its territory, giving Russia the shortest possible land route to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. However, these forces withdrew within two months, thus ceasing land-based military operations originating from Belarus and resulting in the recapture of the Ukrainian side of the border region by Ukraine. Despite this, the situation along the border remains tense, with Ukraine closing the border checkpoints leading into Belarus, bar special cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment</span> Military unit

The Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment is a group of Belarusian opposition volunteers, which was formed to defend Ukraine against the 2022 Russian invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aliaksiej Skoblia</span> Belarusian soldier (1990–2022)

Aliaksiej Mikalajevič Skoblia, nom de guerre "Tur", was a Belarusian soldier who was deputy commander of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Battalion under the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Skoblia died defending Kyiv from advancing Russian troops during the Battle of Kyiv in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was posthumously conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anton Adamovič</span>

Anton Adamovič was a literary critic, novelist, publicist and historian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belarusian Volunteer Corps</span> Ukrainian Interior Ministry special unit

The Belarusian Volunteer Corps is a military formation of Belarusian volunteers working for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, formed in 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

References

  1. 1 2 "Колькі беларускіх добраахвотнікаў ваюе ва Ўкраіне і дзе. Абноўлены гайд па ўсіх фармаваньнях". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  2. 1 2 Белорусы начали создавать полк «Погоня» в составе Вооруженных сил Украины
  3. "How Belarusian Fighters in Ukraine Evolved Into Prominent Force Against Russian Invasion". VOA.
  4. "Першая група байцоў палка "Пагоня" падпісвае кантракты з ССА Украіны | Навіны Беларусі | euroradio.fm". euroradio.fm.
  5. ""Пагоня" стала называцца "палком спецыяльнага прызначэння" | Навіны Беларусі | euroradio.fm". euroradio.fm.
  6. "Байцоў беларускага палка "Пагоня" трэніруе амерыканец Мэцью Паркер | Навіны Беларусі | euroradio.fm". euroradio.fm.
  7. "Вадзім Пракоп'еў пакідае полк «Пагоня», каб дапамагаць Сахашчыку". Наша Ніва.
  8. "«Мы понимаем, что будем бок о бок вести боевые действия в Беларуси». Полк «Пагоня» прокомментировал переход части бойцов к калиновцам". Зеркало. October 25, 2022.
  9. "У Беларусі прызналі "экстрэмісцкімі" Цапкалу і полк "Пагоня" | Навіны Беларусі | euroradio.fm". euroradio.fm.
  10. "Belarus lists military unit members among 625 'extremists'". AP NEWS. October 28, 2022.
  11. "Кікбаксёр Віталь Гуркоў узначаліў "Пагоню" | Навіны Беларусі | euroradio.fm". euroradio.fm.
  12. "JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the continuing repression of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus". europarl.europa.eu. 2022-11-22.
  13. "«Ва Ўкраіне — назаўжды». У Кіеве назвалі імя грамадзяніна Беларусі, які загінуў пад Бахмутам. Што пра яго вядома". Радыё Свабода.
  14. "Ва Ўкраіне загінуў беларускі баец палку «Пагоня»". Радыё Свабода.