A band of soldiers from Belarus defied their orders by refusing to aid Russia in its invasion and joining the Ukrainian army in its fight against the invaders.

Alexander Lukashenko, the disputed president of Belarus and a stout ally of Vladimir Putin, has aided Russia in its invasion by allowing Putin’s forces to stay in Belarus and attack Ukraine from the country. Since the war began, concerns that Lukashenko might send his troops into Ukraine to aid Russia’s efforts have also emerged.

A band of Belarusian exiles, however, has made it clear that not all soldiers are willing to follow the two dictators into embattled Ukraine to fight against the country’s democracy and independence.

The group of soldiers has since formed their own military unit and joined the Ukrainian armed forces in defending Ukraine from its invaders.

Posing with Belarusian flags, the exiles urged fellow countrymen to stand up to dictators Putin and Lukashenko and “fight shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians for the common ideals of freedom.”

“We urge every Belarusian who has a desire to fight shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians for the common ideals of freedom and the value of sovereignty to join us,” Yan Melnikov, the unit’s commander, said in his call to arms.

Melnikov, who has been fighting alongside Ukrainians for the control of the Vasilkyv airfield, has also confirmed that more than fifty of his countrymen have already joined the fight against the Russian oppressors.

“We share the same concept of freedom as the Ukrainian people. But today Belarus is occupied by pro-Russian forces with a government totally under their control. Belarusian freedom depends on the freedom of Ukraine,” he added.

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