Former Belarusian police officer Viachaslau Hranouski has made the decision to fight against the repressive regime of Alexander Lukashenko by joining the frontline in Ukraine. He believes that fighting Russia is the best way to fight Lukashenko, who he now sees as the enemy. Hranouski’s journey began four years ago when he realized he no longer wanted to be a part of the dictatorship in Belarus after witnessing the brutal treatment of protesters.
Despite the Belarusian army not being deployed in Ukraine, Lukashenko allowed Russian troops to enter the country through Belarus, making it a co-aggressor in the war. Integration between Moscow and Minsk has accelerated, with Belarus becoming a Russian proxy. Hranouski now fights with the Kastuś Kalinoŭski regiment, made up of Belarusians, on the side of Ukraine.
Hranouski reflects on his time in the Belarusian police force, where he witnessed colleagues violently suppressing protesters during the 2020 election protests. He resigned from the police in September 2020 and fled to Kharkiv, joining the Ukrainian army. Since then, he has been fighting in frontline battles, losing friends and facing criminal charges in Belarus.
Hranouski’s decision to fight against the Lukashenko regime has led to him being considered a traitor by former colleagues, who prioritize their own wellbeing and obedience to orders. He no longer maintains contact with them as he believes they lack independent thought. Hranouski’s goal is to see a liberated Belarus through the liberation of Ukraine, hoping that Ukrainian victory will lead to the collapse of Putin’s regime and ultimately end the dictatorship in Belarus.
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