Valery Sakhashchyk
Belarusian lieutenant colonel and pro-democratic politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Valery Stepanovich Sakhashchyk (Belarusian: Валерый Сцяпанавіч Сахашчык, romanized: Valeryj Sciapanavič Sachaščyk, Russian: Валерий Степанович Сахащик; born 13 August 1964) is a former commander of the Belarusian 38th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade.[1][2] Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sakhashchyk launched video appeals calling for Belarusian forces to refuse to participate in any attack against Ukraine.[1][3] From 9 August 2022 to 1 August 2024, he was the effective defence minister of the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet, a government-in-exile opposed to the de facto government of Alexander Lukashenko.[4][5][6]
Valery Sakhashchyk | |
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Валерый Сахашчык | |
Member of the United Transitional Cabinet for Defence and Security | |
In office 9 August 2022 – 1 August 2024 | |
President | Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya |
Succeeded by | Vadzim Kabanchuk |
Personal details | |
Born | Valery Stepanovich Sakhashchik (1964-08-13) 13 August 1964 (age 59) Goshava [be], Drahichyn District, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union |
Political party | Independent |
Education | Moscow Higher Military Command School |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
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Branch/service | Airborne forces Special Forces of Belarus Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine)[citation needed] |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
Battles/wars | Russian invasion of Ukraine |
Sakhashchyk was involved in organizing the 1st Separate Air Assault Company "Belarus", a unit of Belarusian volunteers fighting within the 79th Air Assault Brigade of Ukraine. He also personally took part in military operations.[7]