Interview with a Member of Kalinouski Regiment

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kambo worked as a freelance programmer while living abroad. However, when war broke out, he took up arms and joined the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, the well-known Belarusian unit fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Recently, we got in touch with him, and he kindly agreed to an interview to help us better understand how the regiment operates.

Pleased to meet you. Could you tell us something about yourself first?

Nice to meet you, Jerome! My callsign is Kambo. I worked as a freelance programmer, living between Asia and Belarus with my girlfriend. My life was comfortable—I had enough money, worked only part-time, and spent the rest of my time enjoying life. I traveled a lot, went hiking, played football in amateur leagues, and pursued other hobbies.

Occasionally, I participated in Belarusian protests as far back as the 2010 sham elections. Somehow, I always evaded arrest—I run fast!

How did the war begin for you?

How the war started for me is quite telling. I was on a tropical island, surfing with my Belarusian friends and working remotely. I lived in a bungalow next to a Ukrainian couple, and when the war began, we sat together, listening to Ukrainian and Belarusian war songs. We had a third neighbor—a Russian girl working as a nanny. We knew each other, shared fruit, and had a normal neighborly relationship until then. But suddenly, she blasted the Soviet military march The Sacred War on her speaker. We found it funny.

After that, I gathered my Belarusian friends and gave what I called a sermon—though I didn’t really know how. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page. And, in a rather typical turn of events, one of my friends turned out to be somewhat pro-Russian. After that, I could hardly focus on work and spent days monitoring the news. I had lived in Ukraine before the war, had friends there, and loved it for its freedom. Like many others, I had fled the Belarusian regime after the 2020 protests.

It took me about a year to get to Ukraine this time, for various reasons. So, for me, the whole story feels like watching a movie from the middle—so much had already happened by the time I got in.

Let’s talk about the unit you serve in—the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment. What is its role, and what types of missions does it undertake?

It was formed at the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022. The foundation of the regiment consisted of Belarusian volunteers from Tactical Group Belarus, who had participated in the war from 2014 to 2017. Since 2022, we have taken part in the defense of Kyiv, Irpin, and Bucha, as well as in the battles for Mykolaiv, Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Bakhmut, Kupiansk, and Kharkiv.

Does the Ukrainian state supply your equipment, or do you rely on support from volunteers?

The Ukrainian state provides us with Western weapons and ammunition. But we also have volunteers (a term used in the sense of civilians who help the military) who provide us with cars, drones, and other supplies. The Belarusian diaspora helps us a lot.

Do you have enough people interested in joining the unit? Do you exclusively recruit Belarusian volunteers, or do you accept individuals from other nationalities as well?

We consist mostly of Belarusians, but we also accept individuals of other nationalities with military experience.

If I’m not mistaken, the regiment began its combat journey as part of the Territorial Defense Forces before transitioning to the Main Intelligence Directorate. How did this shift impact the unit’s role and operations overall?

We started as a volunteer formation without a specific legal status, but later we had the opportunity to sign contracts, which legalized us. We are now a legal military formation within the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We have the same social rights, salary, medical treatment, and access to rehabilitation as other members.

The unit has been fighting since 2022 and has taken part in numerous battles. What do you consider to be the most challenging moment?

Defense of Bakhmut 2022–23: We participated throughout the entire campaign and suffered heavy losses, with six KIA (killed in action).

On the contrary, what do you consider to be your proudest moment?

My first firefight, and the only one so far, happened when I later transitioned to UAV operations. It was near Kupiansk in the autumn of 2023. Our positions were stormed. At that time, I was in the international squad, and my two Belarusian mates were in the trench while I was alone in the blindage that night. I heard shots nearby, put on my armor, and went out. It was chaotic—one guy approached the entrance of my blindage and fired in the direction of the enemy.

I waited for the other foreigners, and we ran about 50 meters to our trench. I could hear the buzzing sound of bullets flying nearby. We were lucky—the group in the trench saw the attackers through the thermal scope of a machine gun and engaged first. There were two groups of about five enemies each: one straight ahead in the field and another to the side in the tree line, perpendicular to the trench. They were out of my sight.

Since I spoke English, I ran back and forth across the trench, coordinating between my people and the others. I asked for as detailed a description of the enemy’s location as possible, and one of my mates landed two good RPG strikes. I also fired, probably just to keep in line with everyone else and check the box. We had enough firepower. In the end, I was happy with how everything turned out—no casualties on our side, and we killed most of the attackers.

Does your unit operate on a regiment basis, or are its elements deployed separately based on the current needs at the front?

We are flexible, so to speak, adapting to the needs of the front line. However, we mostly operate within the same region of the front. Our infantry is supported by our artillery, with additional fire support, drones, medics, logistics, communications, and other essential services.

Do you coordinate with other Belarusian units? What is your relationship with them like?

We are by far the largest Belarusian unit in Ukraine. There are others, and at times, we cooperate on the front. Naturally, some of us know each other.

What are the future plans for the unit? Is there an intention to expand further, perhaps into a brigade?

We have the goal of freeing Belarus through Ukraine’s victory. Only when the Russian regime begins to crumble will there be a possibility to change the Belarusian regime. The failed revolution of 2020 proved that it cannot be changed through elections or peaceful protests. In 2022, Belarusian territory and infrastructure were used to facilitate the Russian invasion. The Belarusian regime continues to survive thanks to Russian support, so we need Russia to be weakened or militarily defeated. Additionally, the more Belarusians gain military experience, the better it will be for the future, given the nature of our region. We see ourselves as the foundation for an army of a free Belarus.

Have there been any discussions about uniting all Belarusian units under a single command?

It’s not a bad thing that Belarusians are in various units. They’re gaining experience in different domains and under different circumstances. We have a main branch, but we’re also spread thin across fronts, regiments, and military branches. The people are too different, and it’s always better to have choices. We try not to subdivide further and focus on winning the support of volunteers. I wish luck and success to all other projects. When the right moment comes, I’m sure we’ll be able to unite.

I remember the protests—it was a moment when everyone got mobilized instantly after years of inactivity, even people who were at odds before and after. It just happened, completely out of the blue. No one expected it, and there were no conditions for it. Something like that will happen again when the time is right. I will definitely return, no matter what. Until then, we’ve got a lot of winning to do!

The situation on the eastern frontline is far from ideal. How do you view the current situation?

The fact that Ukraine has been waging war against the massive Russian military for three years is already impressive. Russian allies do not hesitate, do not wait years to deliver, and do not drop-feed ammunition. We need to understand that neither Ukraine nor the civilized world have any choice but to keep fighting. Ukrainian allies need to be more active in their support.

How do you view discussions about peace plans and efforts to pressure Ukraine into making a deal with the enemy?

You just cannot trust any Russian promises. Peace talks are just a strategy for them, and not about peace at all. The fact that they push for these talks may actually prove that they, too, cannot continue like this forever, even though they try to make it seem that way.

Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you!

If you’d like to support the Kalinouski Regiment, you can follow them on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. The regiment is also currently raising funds for Mavic 3T drones. You can find more information about this on their official website.