Belarusian Soldier Affected by Army Bullying Sent to Mental Hospital :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarusian newspapers wrote about beating up a private Dzmitry Vasilkou in February. The incident took place in the Military Academy near Minsk. Warrant officer Shutau forced Vasilkou to clean snow, and to put it mildly, overplayed in his "can-do" spirit. Military commandment had to admit that fact. A beaten-up and bloodstained guy who was running away from his commander through the wood in direction of a road, was picked up by a driver near the border of the city in the urban district Uruchcha.

In a month after the incident private Vasilkou was sent to the place of service again. Doctors haven’t understood whether his nose had been broken or not. Dzmitry was visited by relatives, and he continued his service in the Military Academy.

On Monday, April 2, letters from Vasilkou were received by an editorial office of the “Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi”. The return address is Navinki settlement, the Republican Clinic Mental Hospital.

It was easy to enter the division of the hospital where Dzmitry had been placed. We rang the door and a young nurse went out. She was surprised somebody visits Vasilkou. The “patient” went out in a few minutes. He had hospital pyjamas and a quilted jacket on. He was sleepy and phlegmatic. His slow speech, cloudy eyes and tardiness showed that he had been given some powerful medicines. Vasilkou was allowed to talk to the newspaper correspondent in a special room in presence of a nurse’s aide.

His story was rather intricate.

“First I was taken to an antiaircraft defense unit, but couldn’t carry out my duties because of problems with breathing. When I started bleeding, I demanded to be operated, and I was taken here. The administration of the military academy sent me here, to the 25th division of the hospital. It was on March 19, but on the next day I was returned to the military unit.

Then I was sent to the 24th division. I was told I would be subject to an operation. When I arrived, I understood it is not true. I demanded my nose to be treated as I had been promised, and the officer who took me here told that the warrant officer would treat me. I haven’t signed any papers. I was taken here and left.

I do not know what they are treating me from. I remember only one medicine, Cyclodol. When I asked the doctor what medicines they give me, he just asked: “What for do you need that?!”

They are to keep me here for a month, and then I will undergo a medical review board to determine my fit-for-duty status. I do not want to leave the army with a diagnosis of a mentally ill person”.

Neither mother nor brothers know that Dzmitry Vasilkou stays in the Republican clinic Mental Hospital. In order not to go out of his mind, from time to time Dzmitry stops his ears with cottonwool and prays to an icon he carries on his neck.

Dzmitry Kurankou, senior investigator of Minsk inter-garrison military prosecutor’s office:

“I cannot give any information on this case. There is a secret of investigation.

- Why Vasilkou was placed to the Republican Mental Hospital?
- He is undergoing a medical examination. The results are to be taken in consideration in the investigation.

“He could never insult or hurt anybody”

Dzmitry Vasilkou finished a basic school in Tsemnalessa Drybin district.

“We remember him as a very calm and composed boy”, told the headmaster Tatsyana Sakratarava on the phone. “The family of Vasilkous was resettlers from Chernobyl zone. Dzmitry was studing in the same form with his younger brother, as he had some problems with studies. But as far as his conduct is concerned, he was an absolutely positive boy. He never had any problems in that. He couldn’t ever insult or offend teachers or pupils. He never failed to fulfil anything, never lied, he was very independent. After school he went to Mahilyou to study in a forest management college. As far as I know, he graduated from it and became a forester.