‘We Are Waiting for Our People to Come Home’: United Transitional Cabinet Recalls Belarusian Volunteers Held in Russian Captivity

Deputy Representative for Social Policy of the United Transitional Cabinet Nastassia Makhamet recalled the fate of Belarusian volunteers Yan “Trombli” Dziurbeika and Siarhei “Kleshch” Dzyohtseu on the fourth anniversary of their captivity in Russia.

On June 26, 2022, four Belarusian volunteers from the Kalinouski Regiment were killed in combat near Lysychansk, while two others were taken prisoner. Although their names were included in Ukrainian prisoner exchange lists as early as 2022, the Russian side continues to refuse to return them. Their fate remains unknown.

“Today marks another anniversary of the day when Belarusian volunteers ‘Trombli’ and ‘Kleshch’ were taken captive by Russia. It is one of the darkest days in the history of the Kalinouski Regiment. A day that claimed the lives of our brothers-in-arms and left behind pain, anxiety and questions that remain unanswered. Until the very end, there was hope that the men could be found and brought back. When contact was lost, the waiting began, with hope intertwined with helplessness. For us, ‘Trombli’ and ‘Kleshch’ are not just names in the chronicle of war. They are our people, Belarusian volunteers who went to fulfill their duty and paid a terrible price for it,” she said.

“On this day, we remember all those who did not return and those who remain in captivity. Their fate cannot be forgotten, and their names must not disappear from the public sphere. It is our duty to continue speaking about the Belarusian volunteers in captivity, to support their families and to draw attention to their fate. Because behind every name is a person, their life, their choice, their service and the price they paid for freedom. We are waiting for our people to come home,” the United Transitional Cabinet representative added.