Many volunteers were outraged by who received awards from Tsikhanouskaya in Kyiv. Barkouski responded

"Regretted having the same medal as some"

On May 27, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented awards in Ukraine. Opera singer Margarita Levchuk received the Francysk Skaryna Medal; volunteers and campaigners helping the front were awarded "Honor and Dignity" medals: "Nemets", "Shmit", "Blanche", "Sonya", "Sever", "Lyasnik", "Martin", "Akson", "Hamlet", "Kipish", Dzianis Herasimchyk were on the list. Another medal, "For Fruitful Work for the Benefit of Belarus," was awarded to Belarusian poet and AFU volunteer Siarhiej Prylutski and a number of Ukrainian politicians, activists, and public figures.

However, not everyone agreed with the list. For example, former Belarusian volunteer Aliaksandr Klachko wrote on social media:

"Having reviewed the list, I understood the negative reaction of some Belarusians I know and even slightly regretted having the same medal as some who received it in Kyiv during Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's visit.

Perhaps some of those awarded have the right to it — I might not know that. But I do know for sure that there are Belarusian volunteers who deserve to receive an award first and foremost."

Commenting on the event to "NN", Klachko names, in his opinion, the most notable Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine — these are Yuras Dzhehtsyarou, Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaia, Alena Zharkevich, Aliaksei Frantskevich, Mariya Animia, Helen Minskaya. As for worthy fighters, Aliaksandr proposes the following approach:

"There are many who have been on the front since 2022, many of whom I cannot name. There are also many whom I no longer know personally, but their commanders and brothers-in-arms know them. Here, each unit must name the best among their own, those who should be awarded first and foremost. Many could also be honored posthumously."

Aliaksandr emphasizes that he does not deny these people awards. The same "Sever" — Anastasiya Makhamet, former commander of the Kalinouski Regiment's medical company — deserves, in Klachko's opinion, not just a medal, but even an order.

"I see other Ukrainian volunteers who are primarily worthy of an award. But for some reason, they were not noticed," says Klachko.

"Enough people are worthy of great gratitude for their contribution, but they weren't even named"

Mariya Animia, the representative of "Bysol" in Ukraine, whom Klachko mentioned, also has many questions regarding those awards. The girl was present at the ceremony and, as she writes on Facebook, expected to see good activists among the awardees, but it didn't turn out that way.

In a comment for "Nasha Niva," Mariya notes that one cannot underestimate the work of Belarusian volunteers and campaigners who have been active throughout the years of the full-scale war in Ukraine:

"At the awards ceremony, journalists, translators, writers, and some campaigners were recognized, but not a single volunteer or activist! Mikita Zabuga, in the uniform of a non-existent army and with lieutenant colonel's shoulder straps (of which structure and country?), received a medal as a volunteer of the Kalinouski Regiment and represented all campaigners. On what basis?"

Read also: Mikita Zabuga received an award from Tsikhanouskaya in lieutenant colonel's shoulder straps. He explained how

Mikita Zabuga (call sign "Akson") was among the campaigners who received the "Honor and Dignity" medal. According to Mariya, the list of awardees, which included him, should have been compiled more carefully:

"Is a person who spent 6 months on a contract and invented an army for himself more worthy of attention than those who worked in the field, who sustained injuries and returned to duty, who constantly performed combat missions, who serve not in the regiment but in other units? Who transported vehicles, repeatedly visited the migration service, procured equipment, and carried out extensive educational work?"

Of course, everything is not done for medals, says Mariya, but she sees no point in awards if they are not presented to worthy people. The girl gives examples of worthy initiatives: the "Lanka" center of human rights defender Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaia, where fighters underwent rehabilitation, the "Dzeya" initiative, the "Sustrecha" (Meeting) hub in Kyiv, the "Vilna Belarus" (Free Belarus) foundation.

Павялічыць

Photo: LookByMedia

"There are enough people who are personally worthy of great gratitude for their contribution and work, but they weren't even named. Now I've received conditionally exculpatory messages that they don't know the people, that someone didn't come to the award ceremony. So, before organizing something, they should have found out, asked, and even if the person isn't there, thanked them aloud," the girl believes.

How to reward those who don't want it?

Pavel Barkouski, head of the Office of the United Transitional Cabinet (UTC) for National Revival, was among those responsible for compiling the list. He explained the mechanism for selecting awardees to "Nasha Niva."

According to Pavel, award lists are usually compiled by a special commission. But this time it could not work, as the commission is in rotation and its new composition has not yet been approved:

"Therefore, this time we had to proceed with a simplified procedure. There was a broad list of potential awardees, which was proposed by various individuals and organizations we consulted with. The final selection was made from this list.

[The candidacies of] military personnel were primarily supervised by Vadzim Kabanchuk, as he is a specialized expert and understands this. He knows non-public information on the subject, which UTC representatives are not fully aware of. As for civilian individuals, consultations were primarily held between UTC representatives."

Barkouski explains that in selecting the second category of awardees, they tried to maintain a balance between representatives of culture, media, diplomats, and Rada (Council) deputies. Why were there almost no volunteers and activists on the list?

Павялічыць

Pavel Barkouski. Photo: Press service of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office

It's difficult to reach an agreement with activists, says Pavel:

"Some want to accept an award from the Cabinet, others don't, some conditions are set. It's very difficult to manage all this during a short preparation period when everything is being decided. If some are awarded and others are not, then criticism also begins.

Considering these circumstances and the fact that some activists did not want to be awarded at all, we decided to leave this issue for further consultations for now."

Pavel points out that any Belarusian can be nominated for an award to the Cabinet's awards commission. On the website of the Office of the Cabinet for National Revival, there is a page where such an application can be submitted. Each such application will be considered by the commission and the applicant will receive a response.

Barkouski assures that the current ceremony was not the last award presentation in Ukraine — they present awards several times a year. So, those who were not recognized now still have a chance:

"For some reason, we are very jealous of other people's successes. It seems to us that our work is undervalued, and someone else's is overvalued. But I would like to emphasize that there are no more or less talented or worthy individuals for awards here.

I believe that everyone who works fruitfully for the benefit of Belarus and our cause will sooner or later be able to receive the honorable award they have earned. And there's no need to worry about who was earlier or later. You just need to do your work diligently, and someone will nominate you for an award, and the others will surely support that nomination."

Mariya says that in the future, activists might indeed be recognized — though in their own way:

"In a personal communication, I was told that they might issue diplomas to volunteers in the future, but "awards are usually given to more deserving individuals." Here, no comments, I'll just keep a diplomatic tone."

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