“If I die, bury my ashes under any oak.” A fellow soldier remembers Miroslav Lozovsky

Belarusian volunteer "Dub" (Oak) (left) and Miroslav Lozovsky. Archival photo

“As if he were made of steel”

— What was your first memory of Miroslav?

— We met in 2001. Then we were friends, even more than friends. He was like an older brother to me, with whom I could always consult, get advice from. His opinion was super authoritative for me. His word was decisive for me: if Mirik said, "that's nonsense," then I would cancel everything.

— Did you become friends specifically in the "White Legion"?

— Yes, Mirik was one of the first people I met there. He was the commander of the Minsk unit; we were under his command. So many years have passed, and he remained the same, with or without a beard. He had a gait that was impossible to miss, as if he was cutting through space, very confident. His strength also hadn't diminished, although his health lately hadn't been the best. When you looked at him, it was as if he was made of steel. Stocky, like an oak tree. Perhaps he should have taken the call sign "Dub" (Oak).

Павялічыць

— By the way, why did he choose the call sign "Mysh" (Mouse)?

— I can explain, but Mirik didn't really like it when something personal went public. It's a very beautiful romantic story, very private. Let it remain with him. Just as knights used to dedicate their victories to beautiful women, this is from the same series.

— Was Belarusian identity always a matter of principle for Miroslav?

— It wasn't a position, but a way of life. He lived for Belarus, for history. If you looked at him, you could see all the centuries of Belarusian history. I could imagine such a Mirik in Rahvalod's retinue, with Jan Karol Chodkiewicz among the winged hussars, or as a Slutsk insurgent in 1920. He was such an archetype of a Belarusian noble warrior.

— Miroslav was detained many times in Belarus for various reasons. Did this not break him?

— Naturally, it didn't break him. He chose the path of a devoted nationalist back in the 1990s and followed it without turning back.

Павялічыць

Farewell to Miroslav Lozovsky in Kyiv

“Crazy Belarusians”

— Did you make the decision to go to war together?

— We didn't drive, we walked. When the war started, on February 25, we were already in "Azov" in "Kruk"'s company. We called Pavel "Volat" (Suslau, died in May 2022. — RS), and he told us to come directly to him. We were preparing, because we understood that there would be a war, and if not, then we needed to prepare for the liberation of Belarus. We conducted training for Belarusians, taught various weapon handling techniques, and attended "Azov" training. When the war started, we had an agreement to meet at a friend's place and deploy from there. They didn't take us into the territorial defense because we are Belarusians. On February 25, we broke through to Kyiv from Irpin; enemy planes were already flying, there was shooting. We went to Kyiv in a group of four. The bridges were blown up; a Ukrainian guy picked us up and drove us out of Irpin. We were the only ones, it seems, going to Kyiv then; other cars were leaving Kyiv. Crazy Belarusians. In the capital, we went to Pasha "Volat" and started pulling in other Belarusians through our channels. Then Yan "Bielarus" Melnikau came to us with a proposal to create a Belarusian unit.

— So, were you also in the Kalinouski battalion from the moment of its creation?

— Yes, in fact, it all started with us and the tactical group "Pahonia" uniting. At first, we were a separate platoon within a Ukrainian company, then we became a company ourselves, and only later grew into a battalion.

“Mirik didn't spare himself”

— Wasn't it difficult for Miroslav, after all, he was 48 years old?

— Mirik never complained about his health. I only saw him very tired once. That was when we were leaving Lazove (an operation to break through Russian defenses in Mykolaiv region in the summer of 2022. — RS); that day, we marched about 40 kilometers in full gear, followed by a battle, an offensive, dragging weapons, dragging our wounded commander. And the commander was not light at all. After the crossing, Mirik simply sat in the corner of a house in a village that was under heavy shelling, then lay down. I asked: "Mirik, are we going to pick up the things we left on the other side?" He replied no, "I can't anymore." But he kept going.

Павялічыць

Once, after Zaporizhzhia, he went to Kyiv for a bit of treatment. The doctor looked at him and said: "Are you crazy or what? You can't treat your health like that." Mirik didn't spare himself much. As with all things he took on, he gave himself completely. When he worked at "Knihazbor" (Book Collection/Depository), he knew all the books, all the writers. Mirik didn't particularly respect digital information; he preferred paper books. Sometimes, when he needed to install some program, he would push his phone at me: "Here, 'Dub,' figure it out, make sure everything works well." He had a magnificent library at home, a huge stack of books and notebooks always lay on his table. He wrote, drew, and redrew things there. He was not a historian by education or profession, but he consulted professional historians.

— Did Miroslav participate in all operations during the war? Did he not "skip" any?

— He went through every possible path. When we had a situation in Lazove, where part of the staff refused to participate in the operation, Mirik said: "Who are they to me? I am a Ukrainian soldier and I have orders from my commanders. I came to fight and I will fight." When I was leaving the regiment, he said, let's see, maybe I'll also leave only by winter. But then he said: "Where will I go? Who will I leave my guys with?"

Pasha "Volat"'s death strongly affected him. They were friends even before the war; he respected him as a true warrior. In the "Volat" battalion, all the fighters are powerful; there were three true heroes — "Volat" himself, "Brest" (Ivan Marchuk, died in June near Lysychansk. — RS), and "Mysh." At "Volat"'s farewell, he walked very thoughtfully, then said: "If I die, there's no need for solemn farewells; just bury my ashes under an oak tree. If it's not possible in Belarus, then under any oak."

Павялічыць

During this time, it seems to me, Mirik grasped the essence of war. Our ancestors, the Litvin hussars, loved leopard skins and wings; I also was guilty of something like that. Mirik, however, kept his uniform minimal — a white-red-white flag and the flag of Ukraine. He simply performed his duties, thinking everything through to the smallest detail.

“He could put down a book and pick up an assault rifle”

— I was told that he refused various positions. Was it modesty that prevented him?

— He believed it was better to be a good mid-level commander than a not-so-good battalion commander. He thought he hadn't grown into positions like regimental or battalion commander. Although I believe his understanding of life, education, and military experience would have been enough for that. If he had taken on the task, he would have done it, as always, — perfectly and well.

— Did he write to you from Bakhmut about what was happening there?

— I know they were supposed to be withdrawn from Bakhmut; only a few days remained. He didn't make it 50 meters, he didn't live a couple of days longer — it's very impactful. We corresponded from Bakhmut, but I was waiting for him to come out so we could talk properly. When a hundred people write to you every day asking how you are, it's annoying, so I often didn't write. I would reply every few days, asking if he was alive, and he would reply that everything was okay, and the conversation would end there.

— Did Miroslav have great authority within the battalion?

— Not only within the battalion. Mirik was the epitome of what the "White Legion" would want to see in its ranks. He was a true intellectual who could put down a book and pick up an assault rifle. He was a man of high moral principles, good physical strength, great kindness, a wonderful friend. He was well-rounded in every aspect, except perhaps modern gadgets. He was a true "legionnaire."

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