The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, arrived in Kyiv, starting her visit by honoring the memory of Belarusian volunteer Maria Zaitseva, who died during the war with the Russian Federation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Honoring Belarusian Volunteer Maria Zaitseva
Upon arriving in the Ukrainian capital, Tikhanovskaya immediately visited the grave of Maria Zaitseva, who, according to her, became a symbol of the struggle against dictatorship and an embodiment of Ukrainian-Belarusian solidarity. Together with the opposition leader, flowers were laid at the grave by members of her team — Pavel Latushko and Valery Matskevich.
“The first thing I did upon arriving in Kyiv was to visit the grave of Maria Zaitseva right after getting off the train. She symbolizes not only our resistance to dictatorship but also Ukrainian-Belarusian solidarity. It was very important for me to start this visit by honoring a person who gave her life for the freedom of Ukraine and Belarus,” she commented.
Maria Zaitseva, who was 24 years old, actively participated in protests in Belarus in 2020. She died in January 2025 in battles on the Pokrovsk direction, defending Ukraine from Russian aggression.
Visit Plans and Key Cooperation Issues
During her visit to Kyiv, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya intends to discuss issues related to deepening cooperation between the democratic forces of Belarus and Ukraine, enhancing international coordination to counter Russian aggression and the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. It is also planned to address the support of Belarusian volunteers and their families, the establishment of a mission for Belarusian democratic forces in Kyiv, the development of political dialogue, and the appointment of a special representative for relations with democratic Belarus.
In a recent interview with the Belarusian service of Radio Liberty, Tikhanovskaya called her visit to Kyiv a historic step. She emphasized her intention to discuss with the Ukrainian authorities the issues faced by Belarusians who are in Ukraine or fighting on its side, and also stressed the importance of maintaining sanctions pressure on Lukashenko’s regime. Furthermore, Tikhanovskaya noted that Ukraine’s victory in the war would create new opportunities for democratic changes in Belarus.
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sibiga announced the upcoming visit of the leader of the Belarusian opposition to Kyiv, stating that it would take place soon.