Alexey was born and lived in Minsk. After the 2014 Maidan protests, he volunteered for the Azov Special Forces Regiment. He lost his leg during the full-scale war with Russia. Since 2024, he has been an instructor in the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment.
In the fall of 2025, the Investigative Committee announced the launch of a "special investigation" against five well-known fighters of the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment—a group of Belarusians defending Ukraine—including Alexei.
Alexey Kovalchuk worked as a rowing instructor and bartender in Minsk for nine years, then as a snowboarding instructor. In 2007, he moved to Ukraine and for a long time split his time between the two countries. In October 2025, the Investigative Committee announced the initiation of a "special investigation" against five well-known fighters of the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment—a group of Belarusians defending Ukraine. Among them was Alexei.
Former deputy commander of the Kastus Kalinovsky Regiment, representative of the Joint Transitional Cabinet for Defense.
He was an activist in the youth opposition organizations "Young Front" and "Edge." In 2001, Kabanchuk participated in the public commission investigating the kidnappings of prominent Belarusian opposition figures Yury Zakharenko and Vladimir Gonchar, businessman Aleksey Krasovsky, and journalist Dmitry Zavadsky.
In 2002, Kabanchuk sought political asylum in Belgium. He was active in the life of the Belarusian diaspora. He was one of the organizers of the "Belarusian-European Union" in Belgium. Several years later, he returned to Belarus. During the 2010 presidential election, he was an activist for the campaign of Vitaly Rymasheuski, the Belarusian Christian Democracy candidate for the presidency of the Republic of Belarus. He participated in the 2010 Square.
On December 10, 2024, the Investigative Committee launched a special case against five members of Kalinovsky's regiment: Artem Bigel, Vyacheslav Granovskiy, Ignatiy Kireyev, Anastasia Makhomet, and Yan Melnikov. They are charged under articles on the creation of a criminal organization, organizing the activities of a terrorist organization, calls for causing harm to national security, participation in an armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state, and others.
They were found guilty under a number of articles of the Criminal Code, including "act of terrorism" and "organizing the activities of a terrorist organization." The defendants in the case were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years.
In addition, the Kalinovites were given fines ranging from 500 to 3,500 base units (from 21,000 to 147,000 rubles).
Trial outcome 24.04.2025
18 years of imprisonment in colony under enhanced security conditions (trial in absentia).
On December 10, the Investigative Committee launched a special case against five members of Kalinovsky's regiment: Artem Bigel, Vyacheslav Granovskiy, Ignatiy Kireyev, Anastasia Makhomet, and Yan Melnikov. They are charged under articles on the creation of a criminal organization, organizing the activities of a terrorist organization, calls for causing harm to national security, participation in an armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state, and others.
They were found guilty under a number of articles of the Criminal Code, including "act of terrorism" and "organizing the activities of a terrorist organization." The defendants in the case were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years.
Trial outcome 24.04.2025
20 years of imprisonment in colony under enhanced security conditions (trial in absentia).
On December 10, 2024, the Investigative Committee launched a special case against five members of Kalinovsky's regiment: Artem Bigel, Vyacheslav Granovskiy, Ignatiy Kireyev, Anastasia Makhomet, and Yan Melnikov. They are charged under articles on the creation of a criminal organization, organizing the activities of a terrorist organization, calls for causing harm to national security, participation in an armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state, and others.
They were found guilty under a number of articles of the Criminal Code, including "act of terrorism" and "organizing the activities of a terrorist organization." The defendants in the case were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years.
Trial outcome 24.04.2025
20 years of imprisonment in colony under enhanced security conditions.
On December 10, 2024, the Investigative Committee launched a special case against five members of Kalinovsky's regiment: Artem Bigel, Vyacheslav Granovskiy, Ignatiy Kireyev, Anastasia Makhomet, and Yan Melnikov. They are charged under articles on the creation of a criminal organization, organizing the activities of a terrorist organization, calls for causing harm to national security, participation in an armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state, and others.
They were found guilty under a number of articles of the Criminal Code, including "act of terrorism" and "organizing the activities of a terrorist organization." The defendants in the case were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years.
Trial outcome 24.04.2025
20 years of imprisonment in colony under enhanced security conditions (trial in absentia).
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