Ivan “Brest” Marchuk, one of the commanders of the Belarusian Kastus Kalinouski volunteer regiment, fighting on the side of Ukraine, fell near Lysychansk, and several other soldiers of the volunteer unit are missing. “Belarusians will never forget your sacrifice,” the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, pointed out on Twitter.
“A huge loss for Belarus and Ukraine. “Brest”, was killed while repelling a Russian tank attack. Several other Belarusian volunteers went missing or were taken prisoner,” wrote an independent Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter.
A huge loss for Belarus and Ukraine. Near Lysychansk, the commander of the Volat battalion of the Belarusian Kastus Kalinouski regiment, nickname “Brest”, was killed while repelling a Russian tank attack. Several other Belarusian volunteers went missing or were taken prisoner. pic.twitter.com/PE0QDjpdaB
— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) July 5, 2022
Senior Advisor to Sviatlana, Franak Viacorka, had informed about the fallen Brest before.
Devastating news. Commander of Belarusian regiment in Ukraine “Brest” was killed during the harsh battle. ‘Brest’ was a true Belarusian patriot. This is a big loss for all of us. Several other Belarusian volunteer fighters are missing; several are taken hostage by Russians. pic.twitter.com/G8JvGavkSI
— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) July 5, 2022
“I am saddened tonight by the loss of another hero. I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends & comrades. My thoughts also go to those wounded & missing. Belarusians will never forget your sacrifice,” Tsikhanouskaya wrote on Twitter.
I am saddened tonight by the loss of another hero. I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends & comrades. My thoughts also go to those wounded & missing. Belarusians will never forget your sacrifice. https://t.co/yXB5m7yddq
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) July 5, 2022
As added on Nasha Niva, on 26 May the regiment engaged in a battle against overwhelming enemy forces. Marczuk was severely wounded in the head and leg, as a result of which he died. Earlier, ‘Brest’ was said to have destroyed at least one enemy tank. Five other soldiers are wanted.
According to the Belarusian opposition service, the losses suffered by the Kastus Kalinouski regiment near Lysychansk were the most serious since the beginning of the formation’s participation in the war in Ukraine. A total of seven Belarusian soldiers fighting in various units on the Ukrainian side have been killed since February. According to Nasha Niva, a total of around 1,500 Belarusian citizens had enlisted in these units.
Kastus Kalinouski (Konstanty Kalinowski), the patron of the volunteer regiment, was a Polish-Belarusian independence activist and participant in the January Uprising. He died in 1864 in Vilnius, executed by order of the Russian authorities.