Pahonia Detachment

The formation of the unit began in June 2014{{cite web|url=http://www.belaruspartisan.org/politic/278967/|title=Отряд «Погоня» воюет в Донбассе. Потерь нет|access-date=2014-10-23|work=Белорусский партизан|date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906020525/http://www.belaruspartisan.org/politic/278967/|archive-date=2014-09-06}} on the territory of the Volyn oblast, in far northwestern Ukraine. One of the organizers of the detachment was a Ukrainian politician from Volyn Ihor Huz. He told reporters that the formation of the detachment as a combat unit took place in a specially equipped camp in Volyn. However, the detachment did not participate in hostilities as a separate unit. The stated purpose of the formation of the detachment was to train fighters to participate in hostilities in eastern Ukraine in the ranks of the Ukrainian territorial defense battalions{{Cite web |url=http://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2014/07/08_a_6101277.shtml |title=Белорусы пойдут воевать за Украину |access-date=2015-01-04 |archive-date=2014-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017030221/http://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2014/07/08_a_6101277.shtml |url-status=live |lang=ru}}

A framework was adopted to maintain secrecy, so that the special services of Belarus could not figure out the identities of participants. However, some, such as Yan Melnikov, openly filmed and declared themselves as volunteers in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

By July 2014, the first groups of fighters of the detachment had arrived in the east of Ukraine.[http://www.belaruspartisan.org/politic/273632/ Отряд «Пагоня» отправился на восток Украины] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023075048/http://www.belaruspartisan.org/politic/273632/|date=2014-10-23}} // Belarusian Partisan, 19/07/2014

The detachment took an active part in the battle of Ilovaisk, during which fighters with the call signs "Brest", "Moustached" and "Bugor" distinguished themselves, who managed to knock out a T-72 tank and two ballistic missile defense systems of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in street battles.{{cite web|url=https://nashaniva.by/?c=ar&i=134460|title=Баец з пазыўным «Брэст», выходзячы з акружэння, падбіў бранятэхніку — Наша Ніва|lang=be|website=nashaniva.by|date=2 September 2014|access-date=10 February 2023}}

As of September 2014, according to the statement of the representative of the detachment, Tatyana Yelova, some of the unit's fighters were part of the Ukrainian battalions on the front line, with no reported losses among them. However, in the winter of 2014-2015, reports appeared of the death of 12 fighters in battles.{{cite book| chapter=Погоня|title=Экстремизм в украинской политике, обществе, СМИ и силовых структурах|publisher=Экспертный доклад|location=Moscow|year= 2015|page=200}}

In September 2016, the “Pahonia Detachment” announced the termination of its participation in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.{{Cite web |url=http://udf.by/news/politic/145476-navovevalis-belrusskiy-otryad-pogonya-obyavil-o-prekraschenii-uchastie-v-boevyh-deystviyah-na-vostoke-ukrainy.html |title=Белорусский отряд «Погоня» объявил о прекращении участия в боевых действиях на востоке Украины |access-date=2017-04-08 |archive-date=2017-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409110913/http://udf.by/news/politic/145476-navovevalis-belrusskiy-otryad-pogonya-obyavil-o-prekraschenii-uchastie-v-boevyh-deystviyah-na-vostoke-ukrainy.html |url-status=live |lang=ru}} Members created the organization “Public Sector of the Pahonia Detachment”, which, first of all, is engaged in multifaceted aid to Belarusian volunteers.{{Cite web |url=https://charter97.org/ru/news/2017/2/3/239783/ |title=Белорусские добровольцы встретились с украинскими школьниками |access-date=2017-04-08 |archive-date=2017-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409023249/https://charter97.org/ru/news/2017/2/3/239783/ |url-status=dead |lang=ru}}

Law enforcement agencies of Belarus have made statements more than once that Belarusian citizens, whose participation in the war in eastern Ukraine has been proven, will be punished under the law on mercenarism, which carries the penalty of 3 to 7 years of imprisonment.{{Cite web |url=http://news.tut.by/society/406164.html |title=МВД: Белорусов, которые едут воевать в Украину, ждет уголовная ответственность |access-date=2015-01-04 |archive-date=2021-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507185541/http://news.tut.by/society/406164.html |url-status=dead |lang=ru}}

In early October 2014, the chairman of the Belarusian KGB, Valery Vakulchik, reminded citizens of their responsibility for illegal actions under the legislation of the republic. In addition, law enforcement agencies have repeatedly appealed to Belarusians with the appeal: not to give in to offers to participate in hostilities in the Donbas on either side.

• Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment
• Tactical group "Belarus"

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{{Ukrainian volunteer battalions}}

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Category:Military units and formations established in 2014

Category:Military units and formations of Ukraine in the war in Donbas

Category:Territorial defence battalions of Ukraine

Category:Disbanded units and formations of Ukraine

Category:Belarus in the Russo-Ukrainian War