"The text of the oath was read twice then." Statkevich shared memories of the oath of Belarusian servicemen in 1992 on the Day of the Battle of Orsha

The date of September 8 has repeatedly been significant in Belarusian military history, writes the ex-political prisoner in his Telegram channel

If we consider it in chronological order, we should start as far back as September 8 (Old Style), 1380, when the armies of the Golden Horde's temnik Mamai and Russian principalities, led by Muscovite Prince Dmitry, met in the Battle of Kulikovo Field.

On Dmitry's side, regiments of the Belarusian principalities of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — Polotsk, Bryansk, and Smolensk — also fought, led by Princes Andrei and Dmitry Olgerdovichi, although our lands were never under Mongol rule. And attempts by the Mongols, along with their Muscovite vassals, to attack them were always repelled.

Belarusian regiments played a significant role in the battle. Perhaps because their principalities already had experience of victories over significant Mongol forces.

In 1362, in the Battle of Blue Waters, the joint Belarusian-Ukrainian army, led by Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas, defeated the armies of three Mongol khans, as a result of which Ukrainian lands, as they always were ours, became free from Mongol rule. This experience and the confidence it gave to Belarusian regiments and commanders helped the combined forces defeat significant Horde forces on Kulikovo Field. However, the position of Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila was separate; he led his troops to aid Mamai but did not participate in the battle. I think Jogaila was a good geopolitical strategist and did not want to strengthen neighboring Moscow, which threatened the security of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the future. Nevertheless, we can reasonably consider September 8, 1380, a glorious date for our military history.

Almost every Belarusian now knows about September 8, 1514 — the date of the glorious victory over the thrice larger 80,000-strong Muscovite army near Orsha.

The date of September 8 once again played an important role in the modern military history of our country. This was in 1992.

At that time, Belarus subjugated the Soviet military units located on its territory. But they were still very far from being a true Belarusian army. Officers, predominantly natives of other Soviet republics, were wary of Belarus's independence and it was unknown whether they would defend it in the event of aggression from another former Soviet republic. There were not even legal grounds to demand this from them — they had not taken an oath of allegiance to Belarus, which would have made the defense of its independence a legally justified duty for them. The Kebich government, as usual, ignored the problem so as "not to anger Moscow."

Therefore, I, as the chairman of the Belarusian Association of Servicemen (BAS), put forward a proposal to hold a symbolic oath ceremony of allegiance to Belarus in the center of Minsk specifically on the anniversary of the victory near Orsha, to inform Belarusians as widely as possible about the glorious victory of their ancestors.

The chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, renowned historian Mikhas Tkachou, immediately supported this proposal. As did BNF leader Zianon Pazniak, who offered the BAS his party's help in organizing the oath.

The event took place on September 8, 1992, in Independence Square, Minsk. It had excellent artistic and musical arrangements, for which the famous artist Mіkola Kupava was responsible on behalf of the BNF.

The event began with the sounds of a bugle. After the speeches, I read out the text of the oath, which was repeated by active-duty officers — members of the BAS — and thousands of reserve servicemen gathered on the square.

It so happened that the text of the oath was read twice then. Colonel Uladzimir Baradach, former commander of a special forces brigade, who was late for the ceremony, asked to be allowed to read the text of the oath as well. I agreed, because words of allegiance to one's country can be repeated many times, and all the people on the square unanimously swore once again to defend Belarus. This action was not a legal act. But it received widespread publicity. As a result, a few months later, the Kebich government was forced to administer an oath of allegiance to Belarus to all officers of the Belarusian army. And Belarusians, who had been taught their whole lives that their country had no history of its own, finally learned about one of its most glorious pages.

The authorities at the time retaliated against all patriotic officers who, by their public action, forced them to fulfill their most important duty. But none of us regretted or regrets what was done. It was worth it.

Then, for us, it was also important to remind that the blood of victorious warriors flows in the veins of modern Belarusians. 7 years after that event, tens of thousands of patriots took to the Freedom March on October 17, 1999, and with the help of pieces of paving stones, explained to the ruling regime that trading independence and abducting opponents was unacceptable. It was enough for about 20 years.

I remember how, in those days, Ukrainian democratic politicians, in conversations with me, admired the courage of Belarusians who were massively protesting against lawlessness under dictatorship, and complained about the indifference and political apathy of their compatriots, who, in incomparably safer conditions, did not react even to the abduction and brutal murder of a very popular opposition journalist. Now, however, we see that 30 years of freedom have made Ukrainians a true political nation.

Once, Belarusian patriots named September 8 the Day of Belarusian Military Glory. I believe that this day should also become a permanent Day of Oath for future officers — cadets of military academies.

Happy Day of Belarusian Military Glory to us, Belarusians!" — concluded Mіkola Statkevich.

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