‘Eduard Lobau Is A Real Warrior Of Light’

• 11.02.2023, 19:38

In Warsaw, people bid farewell to the volunteer who died for the freedom of Ukraine and Belarus.

A farewell ceremony for the Belarusian volunteer Eduard Lobau took place today in the St. Alexander Catholic Church in Warsaw. The building of the temple in the center of the Polish capital could not accommodate everyone who wanted to bid farewell to the Belarusian who died in the battles near the Ukrainian Vuhledar. Many, despite the cold weather in Warsaw, stood outside.

The liturgy in memory of the Belarusian volunteer was served by priest Viachaslau Barok. The priest gave a strong sermon on the importance of fighting for freedom.

“There is something that unites us — we all love life. We all know that we need to live in truth and justice. We are deeply convinced that our earthly life matters only if there is freedom in it, and it is sometimes worth sacrificing one's life to preserve freedom.

This is exactly what Eduard Lobau did in the struggle for a free Belarus, for an independent Ukraine. He voluntarily stepped on the line of fire, standing between the aggressor and the victim.

For eight years he was on the light side, a warrior of light. Eduard fought for Belarusian political prisoners, for a free Belarus and Ukraine,” the priest said in his sermon.

After the liturgy, a farewell ceremony was held for Eduard Lobau. It was hosted by Natallia Radzina, the editor-in-chief of the website Charter97.org. The Belarusian journalist briefly recounted the life path of the Belarusian volunteer:

“Eduard was a real volat and a hero of Belarus. He devoted his entire conscious life to struggle. He was only 22 years old when he went out in 2010 to protest against the falsification of the results of the presidential elections in Belarus. He was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison. After his release in 2014, he immediately left for Ukraine, because he understood that it was necessary to fight the Russian occupation, because he knew that this also threatened Belarus. Eduard fought in Ukraine for eight years, had awards, including for the defense of Kyiv. He heroically died in battle near Vuhledar.

Someone may say this is not our war. No. This is our war. The best Belarusians, true patriots, are going to fight in Ukraine today, because they hope that this will also help liberate our Belarus from dictatorship and occupation. You know, hard times are always a test for a person. Someone will complain about life and say that it is impossible to change anything. People like Eduard Lobau will fight, they will act, risking their lives. And it is a great happiness that Belarus has such people, because it gives hope to all of us that the nation will live, that we have a future.”

Then Maryna Lobava, the mother of Eduard, spoke. Many present could not hold back tears during her touching speech:

“My dear son, you have had a short life path. But your dream of becoming a professional soldier has come true. You dreamed of protecting your family from enemies. And, unfortunately, you died with a weapon in your hands. We are proud of you, you are a hero, eternal glory to you, son. I want to thank everyone who helped our family. I, unfortunately, cannot list all of you, because it would take a long time. I especially want to thank the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus.

He obtained permission to bury our son in Poland, in Warsaw. I would like to visit my son's grave more often. I would like to wish Ukraine to achieve independence faster, as my son has always dreamed of seeing Belarus and Ukraine independent. Sleep peacefully, son. You will forever remain in our hearts and in our thoughts. Sleep peacefully.”

Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Valeriy Zvarych addressed the family of Eduard Lobau, and thanked them for raising their heroic son:

“This is a great loss not only for your family, it is a great loss for our large common family of Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles and all of civilized Europe. Your son died a hero, but heroes don't die. In Ukraine, we are well aware that heroes do not die, they inspire us to fight on and win.

Thank you for raising a real hero. He was a patriot of Belarus, a true man of freedom. He has never been a slave. In Ukraine they say: “Slaves are not allowed into heaven”. But Eduard, even in a Belarusian prison, was a free man.

Believe that the example of Eduard, the example of his fellow Belarusians, who today shoulder to shoulder with us defend the freedom of Ukraine, will not be in vain. We will win. It will be a victory for the free Belarusian people, a victory for the Ukrainian people, a victory for the Polish people and all civilized Europe.”

Polish Ambassador to Belarus Artur Mikhalski noted that Eduard Lobau is a common hero for our entire region:

“Eduard's life path shows how much he wanted freedom. Freedom not for himself, but freedom for his people, for all his countrymen. He loved freedom so much that he went to fight and defend Ukraine. At the cost of his own life, he showed us all that the purpose of this war is to protect us all and ensure freedom in Belarus. Eduard’s name will go down in the history of prominent Belarusians, in the history of our regional community, the meaning of which we are discovering in a new way, which for centuries has fought and continues to fight against Russian imperialism. Eduard joins the ranks of heroes, our common heroes, heroes of our common uprisings, heroes of the current terrible war unleashed by Russia, heroes of our common cause, heroes of freedom.

I deeply believe that the sacrifice of Eduard's life, as well as of all the deceased brothers and sisters of Ukrainians, Belarusians and others, will bring victory. Ukraine will win, and Belarus, your beloved homeland, Eduard, will be free. Free Belarus bids farewell to you, Ukraine bids farewell to you, and Poland bids farewell to you. For our freedom and yours. Long Live Belarus! Glory to Ukraine!”

Deputy Commander of the Kastus Kalinouski regiment Vadzim Kabanchuk told about the feat the fighters defending Vuhledar are doing:

“This is Eduard's brigade, his brothers-in-arms, who are now standing there. In the fields there are dozens of burnt equipment of the Russian fascists, who poked their noses at Vuhledar. These are the ideological descendants of those who organized the Holodomor in Ukraine, these are the ideological descendants of those who brought millions of people to Siberia, these are those who took people to Kurapaty and Bykovnia near Kyiv. And now the guys, brothers of Eduard, are standing between the so-called Russian world and free Ukraine.

A close friend of the deceased volunteer, Young Front member Andrus Tsianiuta met Eduard in the Belarusian army. Together they served in the Vitsebsk landing troops:

“At first, on forced marches, it was hard for me to run with all the ammunition. Ed saw this, and hid my equipment in the car, and then gave it back after the forced march. Ed was a sincere patriot. I remember a case when, after the “elections”, I was sent to a guardhouse. Ed did not agree with this, and pasted leaflets with information about this lawlessness all around the military unit. He knew that for such an act he would go to the guardhouse after me, but he could not turn a blind eye to injustice.”

The Free Belarus leader Zianon Pazniak also delivered a speech. The politician noted that Russia has been waging genocide of the Belarusian people for two hundred years, and the main distinguishing feature of this policy have always been lies:

“But there have always been Belarusians who saw the truth, were fair and fought for the truth. Eduard Lobau belonged to such people. He spoke the truth when it was forbidden. He was persecuted, he was in prison. Before he died, he asserted this truth with weapons.”

Zianon Pazniak also pointed out that Lukashenka let the Russian military into the country, who occupied Belarus and then attacked Ukraine:

“People saw the real face of this beast. People saw that the Russian world is fascism. People saw bandits who cover up their crimes with lies. People of justice and truth, Belarusians, went to Ukraine to defend independence with weapons. One of them was Eduard Lobau.”

The Free Belarus leader mentioned his trip to Bakhmut, where he met with the soldiers of the Kalinouski regiment:

“There are many, hundreds of them. I saw their eyes, heard their conversations, saw their patriotism. This is the future of our freedom, our Belarus. They are fighting for an independent Belarus and Ukraine, sacrificing their lives. They understand that history has given Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, all of Europe a chance to deal with this Horde of Mordor, which caused two world wars and wants to unleash a third. But people like Eduard, like the Kalinouski regiment fighters, like Ukrainian warriors, will not allow this to happen. Mordor will be destroyed.”

Then Natallia Radzina read out a list of Belarusians who died for the freedom of Ukraine — there are already about thirty of them. The Belarusian Wolny Chor (Free Choir) performed the national anthems “God Almighty” and “Pahonia”. When the coffin with the Belarusian volunteer was taken out of the church, many knelt down, seeing the hero off on his last journey.

Eduard Lobau will be buried next week at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. The specific date and time will be announced closer to the farewell ceremony.

Reference

Belarusian volunteer Eduard Lobau died on February 26 defending Vuhledar. He served in the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, participated in the liberation of the Kyiv region and Chernobyl from Russian invaders.

Eduard Lobau is a former political prisoner. He was detained on December 18, 2010, together with the Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich, and then illegally sentenced to four years in a reinforced-security penal colony. Eduard served his time in full in the colony called “the Wolf Holes”.

Eduard Lobau has been fighting in Ukraine since 2015.

In 2014, the Charter97.org website announced him as a laureate of the Viktar Ivashkevich National Human Rights Award.