1st Separate Air Assault Company "Belarus"

The 1st Separate Air Assault Company "Belarus" (1-я асобная дэсантна-штурмавая рота «Беларусь», 1 ОДШР) is an assault company formed of Belarusian volunteers within the 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The unit took part in the Battle of Marinka and consists of around 30 fighters.

The creation of the company was announced for the first time by Valery Sakhashchyk, the effective defence minister of the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in June 2023.

History
According to Sakhashchyk, the unit consists of military professionals, primarily people with combat experience and officer ranks. The company includes former fighters of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, the Pahonia Regiment and the 2nd International Legion.

The company is developing in three directions — attack aircraft, heavy weapons and drones. The position of the first commander of the company was taken by a Belarusian officer with the call sign "Phoenix", who was seriously wounded at the end of spring. The newly appointed commander is a former member of a Belarusian special force.

The company is supported by a number of private sponsors and the organization Prague Support Team.

Awards
On September 8, 2023, the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in exile awarded six people from the 1st separate air assault company with the Military Virtue Medal. The ceremony took place on September 27. Valery Sakhashchyk presented the awards to the fighters.

In October 2023, a fighter of the 1st separate air assault company "Belarus" with the call sign "Ryzhy" was awarded the badge "For Courage and Bravery".

Reaction of the Belarusian authorities
On September 12, 2023, the court of the Central District of Minsk designated the Telegram channel of the 1st separate air assault company "Belarus" as "extremist material".