Truck driver from Druzhny, who worked in the EU, sentenced in a political case
Mikita Putsyla worked in freight transportation in Belarus and Russia for 14 years. Over time, he switched to the European route. He was arrested while returning home in June 2025.
Mikita Putsyla. Photo from his social media page
Mikita Putsyla is 40 years old. He is originally from the village of Druzhny, Pukhovichi district, Minsk region. Since 2011, the man worked as an individual entrepreneur — he owned his own vans and delivered cargo across Belarus and Russia.
In 2024, Mikita trained for a "CE" category license and decided to become a European long-haul truck driver. In May, he started working for the Lithuanian logistics giant Girteka, and then considered moving to Canada as a driver.
In Telegram chats, the man helped many other drivers: he advised on how to open accounts in the European Union, get a visa, or buy cheap roaming internet. He explained his departure by saying that he saw no professional or personal prospects in Belarus.
Outside of work, Mikita is passionate about heavy music — from bands like Slayer and Vader to Belarusian folk metal bands Drygva and Irdorath. His social media features photos from various thematic festivals.
Mikita was arrested and placed in a pre-trial detention center at the end of June 2025. This happened during his return or immediately after returning home.
The man was tried in the Minsk Regional Court on charges of "abetting extremism" (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code). According to human rights defenders, the prosecution is linked to the Hayun case.
It appears he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.