Mikita Zabuga received an award from Tsikhanouskaya in a lieutenant colonel's uniform. He told what kind of shoulder boards these are
In the spring of 2025, Mikita Zabuga went to war, and now, a year later, he has already acquired a high rank. How is this possible?
Mikita Zabuga has a rich biography. A father of three children, he came to Maidan in 2014 and participated in excavations in Lithuania, where the remains of Kastus Kalinouski and his associates were found. After 2020, Zabuga headed the Heraldic Council, which developed the design of the New Belarus passport.
In April 2025, Mikita announced that he had joined the Kalinouski Regiment and now serves as the head of the UAV unit supply in the Zaporizhzhia direction. A year later, in May 2026, Zabuga attended Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's meeting with Belarusian volunteers in Kyiv. On his uniform, two stars could be seen — a sign that the man holds the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Belarusians in Ukraine were outraged: usually, foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine are not given high ranks. How then could Zabuga receive such shoulder boards?
Mikita Zabuga explained to Nasha Niva that at the meeting, he was wearing the uniform of the Belarusian Liberation Army (BLA). This is a project to create Belarusian units in EU countries and Ukraine, which are ultimately intended to go liberate Belarus.
Mikita Zabuga commented on the lieutenant colonel's shoulder boards as follows:
«Individuals serving in military, paramilitary, and other organizations, who have passed verification and been enrolled in the BLA, receive military ranks according to their terms of service. I graduated from the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and my officer rank is recognized in the BLA.»
He admits that his rank of lieutenant colonel does not correspond to a rank in the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
«In the AFU, I expect a more modest officer rank. We are precisely promoting the idea of recognizing BLA ranks and their equivalence after receiving appropriate training or a position in the Ukrainian army.»
As a historical example, Zabuga cites General Balakhovich's army: «He did not wait for permission, and we have no such need.»
Zabuga answered who empowered the Belarusian Liberation Army:
«We have rights and powers based on the 1994 Constitution, which enshrines the people as the sole source of power. We – representatives of the people – created an initiative with broad representation and are promoting our goals and objectives. Furthermore, we received approval for the formation of the BLA from the Rada of the BPR.»
Mikita Zabuga. Photo: personal archive of the hero
Among what has already been done by the team creating the BLA, Mikita Zabuga listed the development of an award system, army uniforms and insignia, a system of military ranks according to NATO standards, and the passport of New Belarus.
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