"The moment of breaking the situation is approaching." Vadim Kabanchuk on the plan for Belarusians

Vadim Kabanchuk, former deputy commander of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, and now representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for Defense. Photo: "Nasha Niva"

"Tasks include strengthening existing Belarusian volunteer units and creating new ones"

"Nasha Niva": We are speaking on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war in Ukraine. And after four years, the Ukrainian leadership responded to Lukashenka with sanctions and began a dialogue with Belarusian democratic forces – isn't it too late, in your opinion?

Vadim Kabanchuk: We must not forget the difficult conditions in which Ukraine met the full-scale war and the fact that it withstood it. We remember what the invaders' plans were and how some analysts greatly doubted that Ukraine would hold out.

Ukraine fought back heroically and sometimes, let's say, was on the brink. To take such a step, for example, as distributing weapons to everyone who could pick them up on city streets — these are extreme measures, not every country would dare to do that. The Battle for Kyiv lasted almost two months, and in such circumstances, Ukraine could not afford sharp moves to escalate the situation with its northern neighbor.

Today, the situation has fundamentally changed: Ukraine has the strongest army in Europe. With enormous combat experience. Plus, today, certain transformations have taken place within the power structures, in the president's entourage, and in Ukraine's security forces. And I see from a whole series of signs that Ukraine is now taking a proactive position in building a new security architecture in our region. No matter how this war ends, Ukraine will be forced to resolve the issue with its northern neighbor — that is, at this moment, with the Lukashenka regime, which is in complete military-political dependence on the Putin regime.

"NN": In connection with the new turn of the Ukrainian leadership towards Belarus, what do the democratic forces plan to do? How will you use this?

VK: Belarusian democratic forces have already held several joint events. One of the "Path to Freedom" conferences in 2023 was held by the Kalinoŭski Regiment (it will, by the way, be repeated in a slightly different format this year). And there, and from other structures of the democratic forces, a strategy for Belarusian-Ukrainian relations was proposed. We know that the Ukrainian side – in particular, former Ambassador Ihor Kyzym – also prepared its vision. All this was waiting for its time, and I believe now is the moment to synchronize our joint actions and strategies.

Павялічыць

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Photo: tsikhanouskaya.org

"NN": What do you mean by that, first and foremost?

VK: First and foremost, we face the tasks of strengthening existing Belarusian volunteer units and creating new ones. When the United Transitional Cabinet was formed, it was a certain response to the start of the full-scale war. And one of the tasks that still stands before my representation is the restoration of state sovereignty and preventing Belarus from being drawn into a regional war. At least, it refers to that part of society and security forces that do not want to support the adventures of Putin-Lukashenka. And for this, we need to have a certain set of tools that will be effective in these conditions.

Despite attempts by the US, there has been no progress in peace talks yet. And I predict that the Russian side will continue to escalate the conflict. And we — Belarusians, as conscious citizens first and foremost, bear responsibility for our country, for the restoration of state sovereignty, and must take decisive steps in this direction, based on new opportunities.

Today, we have a large diaspora in Europe — probably the largest since World War II. And thanks to this, we have certain opportunities — both resource and mobilization. And I hope that, together with the Ukrainian side, we will come to a new format of cooperation in strengthening and creating Belarusian national units.

"NN": Are we talking about involving the existing Posplita Rushennia units in Europe, which consist of political emigrants?

VK: That was an initiative of the Polish-Lithuanian part of the diaspora. Now we are talking about units specifically within the Armed Forces of Ukraine or those that will be based on the territory of Ukraine. That is, units that will consist of our guys — volunteers, warriors, with the support of volunteers already involved in Ukraine, on the Ukrainian front.

"NN": But aren't they already involved anyway?

VK: Here one must understand the internal context. What we already mean in Ukraine by the words "Belarusian national unit" does not fully correspond to the current form. There are a number of circumstances and problems that need to be removed in communications with Ukrainians. For example, discrimination against Belarusians: when we are practically equated with representatives of a co-aggressor country.

These include the well-known problems with payments, problems with legalization.

And if there are problems with documents, problems with recruitment automatically arise. If Ukraine treats Belarusians properly and understands the scale of the task, I think we will come to a new format of cooperation and reformatting of our units, which will give a new impetus to this cause.

"NN": Problems with documents and payments have been trying to be solved for years, what makes you confident that it will work out this time?

VK: We see a whole series of consistent statements from both the President of Ukraine and state leaders at various levels – they demonstrate that Ukraine has now taken a fundamentally different course.

They have moved away from the pattern of "don't anger grandpa."

Zelenskyy stated that they now clearly distinguish between the regime and the Belarusian people. Living in Ukraine since 2014, I don't recall such an approach or such statements from the Ukrainian leadership. Therefore, all this gives hope that we will constructively and relatively quickly resolve these problems.

"NN": What will be the first addressee on the Ukrainian side for the process to begin?

VK: A visit by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and members of the Cabinet to Ukraine is currently being prepared. I cannot disclose the details and timing of this visit; working groups are handling it, and questions in various areas will be raised there. Also, a Belarusian-Ukrainian security conference "Path to Freedom" is planned for the end of March in Kyiv, where communication with the expert community and military circles will take place.

"NN": Mr. Zelenskyy promised to appoint a new representative for Belarus — do you already have information about a potential candidate?

VK: So far, I don't have such information. After all, this decision will be up to the Ukrainian authorities. But I would again be completely satisfied with the candidacy of Mr. Ihor Kyzym, if he himself decides to take on this position again.

"The initiative of the Belarusian Liberation Army is being developed as a project for the future"

"NN": In various circles, the belief in the idea of a Belarusian liberation army still occasionally echoes — is this mythology for you or not?

VK: As world history shows, freedom is something that no one will give us, no one will bring it on a platter. It is something we must fight for, take back ourselves.

We saw how nervously the regime reacted to the emergence of the Kalinoŭski Regiment, although in comparison, for example, with the Armed Forces of Belarus, it is a relatively small association of Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine.

To resolve the issue of de-occupation of Belarus, we undoubtedly need rather significant forces. What these forces will be, time and history will tell. At the conference in 2023, organized by the Kalinoŭski Regiment, an organizing committee and a military commission were formed to develop regulations, certain necessary points for the deployment of the Belarusian Liberation Army.

For now, the BLA initiative exists within the framework of the military commission and is being developed as a project for the future. Some things have already been done — the development of uniforms, awards, documentation, and so on. Negotiations are underway for the training of Belarusian officers and sergeants.

I hope that this year's security conference and new contacts with the Ukrainian authorities will give a new impetus to the process of forming the BLA as well.

"NN": In Ukraine, the International Legion was recently disbanded, and foreigners were transferred to other units — did this affect Belarusian volunteers?

VK: The legion under the Ground Forces was disbanded. According to my information, there were literally only a few Belarusians there — up to five people.

I assume that some of them will probably move to other units or possibly leave the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Most Belarusians served under the Main Directorate of Intelligence, and nothing has changed there.

Павялічыць

Illustrative photo

"NN": In an interview with "Zerkalo", Volodymyr Zelenskyy clearly outlined that he is primarily interested in the release of Ukrainian citizens from prisons and captivity, which is logical for a Ukrainian leader. Do you have unused tools on your side to advance the topic of releasing Belarusians — railway partisans, everyone who was in solidarity with Ukraine or generally fought on its side, like Vasil Verameichyk?

VK: We constantly raise this issue, and it will continue to be worked on. It is very important for us to extract our political prisoners, because they were given huge, Stalinist terms there.

I know that the necessary communication is underway through both intelligence services and diplomats. And this is work that loves silence.

"NN": Not so long ago, the United Transitional Cabinet adopted a resolution "On the Belarusian partisan-resistance movement," proposing to assign pensions and benefits to participants of this movement, as well as their relatives in case of death. Are we talking exclusively about the future here, or are there financial possibilities to support someone here and now?

VK: I know that Olga Zazulinskaya, the Cabinet's representative for social policy, is arranging certain things to support various categories of citizens, including volunteers.

But first and foremost, the resolution was adopted for the future. We are talking about democratic Belarus. Also for the future, another resolution was adopted — on granting all warriors fighting in Ukraine the status of combatants in accordance with Belarusian legislation. These are laws that are already in force.

Accordingly, in a new democratic Belarus, all our boys and girls will receive combatant status and will have benefits.

"In four years of full-scale war, I don't remember the power being cut like that"

"NN": Given the incessant Russian attacks on energy and fuel infrastructure, how did you personally cope with the severe frosts and cold?

VK: Like everyone else... There were times during the winter that were very difficult — several weeks in total were hard. In four years of full-scale war, I don't remember the power being cut like that. And not just power — in some houses, there was no water, no electricity, and, accordingly, no heat. Sometimes electricity was given only a couple of times for an hour or an hour and a half per day.

Since the missile attacks on energy infrastructure have decreased, it's become a bit easier. Plus, daylight hours are increasing, and solar power generation has kicked in.

"NN": How is your cousin Siarhei? (Siarhei Franchuk — Vadim Kabanchuk's cousin, a political prisoner who was detained in August 2022 for participating in protests; later he was additionally charged under three more articles — the man served his full term and was released in January 2026. — NN)

VK: All I can say so far is that he is free and in a safe place. He still needs time to recover and integrate into our reality, as the person served almost four years.

"NN": After the story with the hacking of your Telegram account, did you do any work on mistakes regarding digital security?

VK: At that period, I admit, the hackers took advantage of the military disarray; we were just forming then, there were many tasks and affairs. And I overlooked my Telegram account. Although, frankly, I didn't fully trust Telegram, I don't consider it a reliable messenger, so I didn't have much information there. But now I take care of my security as much as I can.

"So far, nothing indicates that we are close to signing a peace agreement"

"NN": The USA, according to Bloomberg, set another deadline — allegedly, a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine must be signed by July 4. What do you think about this?

VK: I am not very optimistic about this, because so many different deadlines have been mentioned. And promises of even 24 hours were heard. So far, nothing has come true.

What is happening on the front line, the shelling of civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian cities – so far none of this indicates that we are close to signing a peace agreement.

Since 2014, I have witnessed more than 20 signed ceasefires. Some agreements were violated immediately, some lasted a few hours, some — a few months. But all were violated, and the full-scale war began.

I hope that Belarusians understand the challenges and, at the same time, opportunities that are opening up before us. Yes, they are associated with the tragic events of the full-scale war. It is quite likely that this war will expand in the region.

However, based on the circumstances and times, we can draw historical parallels. How, for example, was the Belarusian People's Republic declared? There were also difficult military times. And I believe that for us, Belarusians, today there is a historical chance to restore our state sovereignty.

And I call upon our emigration first and foremost, but also people inside the country, not to lose hope — the moment of turning the situation is approaching. Serious and interesting events await us ahead.

And the cause of liberating Belarus is exclusively our national cause. We must do it ourselves. In Europe, in Ukraine, we will have reliable allies. But the main role will still be with Belarusians. So, let's prepare!

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