Son of ex-Belarusian presidential candidate killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, media reports
Ivan Uss, the son of former Belarusian presidential candidate Dmitry Uss, was killed on the front line in Ukraine while fighting for Russia, the independent Belarusian outlet Nasha Niva reported on Oct. 19.
Uss reportedly signed a contract with the Russian army on Jan. 17 but died just weeks into his service.
In the mid-2010s, Ivan was an administrator of the pro-Russian "Antimaidan Minsk" group on the Russian social network VKontakte.
In 2020, he joined protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and was sentenced to 15 days in jail for participating in a demonstration, Nasha Niva reported.
His father, Dmitry Uss, was a businessman and owner of a cartography firm where Ivan also worked.
In 2010, Dmitry ran in Belarus's presidential election, receiving less than 0.4% of the vote. Following the election, he was arrested and sentenced to five and a half years in prison on charges of organizing mass riots, but was pardoned and released five months later.
Belarus remains one of Russia's closest allies in the war against Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian authorities have reportedly been recruiting Belarusians through draft commissions operating inside Belarus.
At least 314 Belarusian citizens have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, according to a report published on Oct. 13 by the Ukrainian project "I Want to Live."
Belarusian recruits are reported dead approximately 6.5 months on average after signing contracts with the Russian military. Most of the deceased served in the 150th Motorized Rifle Division, and a significant number were reportedly recruited from Russian prisons.
Kateryna Denisova
