Dzianis Prokharaŭ | |
Native Name: | Дзяніс Прохараў |
Native Name Lang: | be |
Nickname: | Kot (Cat) |
Birth Place: | Belarus |
Rank: | Commander (2022–2024) |
Allegiance: | Ukraine |
Branch: | Territorial Defence Forces |
Unit: | Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment |
Battles: |
Dzianis Prokharaŭ (Belarusian: Дзяніс Прохараў; born 1995), nom de guerre "Kit" (Belarusian: Kot, "Cat"), is a Belarusian soldier who served as the commander of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment under the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In April 2024, he was succeeded by Pavel Shurmei.[1]
In 2014,[2] Prokharaŭ left Belarus for Ukraine, where he joined the Azov Brigade.[3] He became a physical training instructor and later completed a refresher course to become a tactical training instructor. In 2015, Prokharaŭ fought near Marinka, Ukraine in the Donbas War as part of Tactical Group "Belarus".[4]
In July 2019, information became public that Prokharaŭ received Ukrainian citizenship.[5]
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Prokharaŭ has been fighting, including participating in the Battle of Kyiv, and the Battle of Bucha, where he received a shrapnel wound during the battle.[4]